Massachusetts sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) cases are although below the national average, but the state’s rates of three most common STDs, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, are the highest among New England states. Massachusetts rates for chlamydia and syphilis increased substantially in 2015. The state ranked 41 out of the 50 US states in chlamydial and gonorrheal infections and 14th in primary and secondary syphilis rate per 100,000 people in 2015, according to the state profile released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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STDs are infections passed from person to person through sexual contact. The infection may be caused by bacteria, viruses, yeast, or parasites. There are over 20 different types of STDs, but the most common, reportable diseases are chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis.
The CDC and the US Preventive Services Task Force recommend testing for chlamydia in sexually active females under 24 years of age as well as older females who are at higher risk of infection. The testing should be made a necessary part of their routine health checkup. Routine screening of males is recommended in higher prevalence clinical settings, for instance, correctional facilities, adolescent clinics, and STD clinics. Although every sexually active individual, regardless of their gender, should get tested for an STD at least once a year, the screening requirements are stricter for men who have sex with men and people with multiple sex partners.
20 Hope Ave Ste 311, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453
7.33 mile
Tel: 7816470347
Today's best offer is: $10 off any order. Discount will be applied automatically.
Please visit the website or call for eligibility requirements. STD testing, HIV PrEP and PEP for patients 18+. Trichomoniasis testing available as part of STD testing services.
501 Boston Post Rd, Sudbury, Massachusetts 1776
2.38 mile
Tel: (866) 389-2727
Please visit the website or call for eligibility requirements. STD testing, HIV PrEP and PEP for patients 18+. Trichomoniasis testing available as part of STD testing services.
105 Main St, Maynard, Massachusetts 1754
4.06 mile
Tel: (866) 389-2727
Please visit the website or call for eligibility requirements. STD testing, HIV PrEP and PEP for patients 18+. Trichomoniasis testing available as part of STD testing services.
344 Great Rd, Acton, Massachusetts 1720
6.87 mile
Tel: (866) 389-2727
24 Union Ave , Stes 8 and 10, Framingham, Massachusetts 01702
7.28 mile
Tel: (508) 872-2652
Appointment Required: No
Use our confidential STD symptom checker to get an idea of what STDs/STIs your symptoms align with and what STD tests are recommended to you.
Start Symptom CheckerWhich Method of STD Testing is Suitable for Me?
Every sexually active individual must protect their sexual health. Regular STD testing is the only way to care for your sexual health. However, sometimes it becomes confusing to select the right testing method as there are so many options available. For your convenience, we have gathered information about all available STD testing methods in Massachusetts. Check them out to find out which option is suitable for you.
| Testing Method | Waiting Times | Speed of Results | Positive Consultation |
|---|---|---|---|
Private Testing (Walk-In Clinic) | 10-20 Minutes with No Wait | 24-72 Hours | Free With Positive Result |
At-Home STD Testing | No Wait | 5-11 Days | Free With Positive Result |
Doctor Visit with Insurance | Call for Appointment | 7-10 Days | Co-Pay Required |
Doctor Visit without Insurance | Call for Appointment | 7-10 Days | Out-of-Pocket Cost Required |
Public Clinic | Limited Hours and Long Lines | 7-14 Days | No |
Learn more in our ultimate guide to STD testing.
Yes. Certain companies offer at-home testing kits wherein you are the one that will collect the specimens necessary for the test at the comfort of your own home. Sure, it might sometimes be subject to errors due to the potential contamination of the sample from collection to transportation, but it does offer a great deal of privacy and convenience for patients who would prefer to have their identities hidden in fear that their community will judge them.
It would vary depending on the condition that is being tested. STDs behave differently due to the varying pathogenicity of each STD’s causative organism. In some instances, you can get accurately tested as early as two weeks following exposure, while some are intermittently inaccurate due to its recurrence (much like in the case of herpes infections). To avoid this, be sure to discuss the intricacies of the test with your physician to understand whether a particular test could provide you with a conclusive diagnosis or if it still needs another confirmatory test to establish its premise.
It does vary on a case-to-case basis. Insurance policies are often particular with the instances that they would be covering with their program. Some may cover severe accidents, some may even consider “orphan disease,” and yes, some may also cover the expenses for performing STD diagnostic tests. However, considering that your insurance provider will have to verify the person's identity availing of the program, STD testing laboratories that employ a minimal collection of patient information may not accept insurance policies to prioritize privacy over affordability.
Although NAATs are well-known for their accuracy and sensitivity in detecting most STDs, it is also subject to certain inconsistencies, especially in the case of herpes infections. In Herpes, outbreaks often result in a relative increase in the patient’s viral load – leading to a timeline that usually has specific peaks at certain intervals instead of a consistent rise in viral load throughout. As such, sensitive tests such as NAATs are still unable to accurately diagnose herpes conditions, especially in cases where the patient has recently become asymptomatic and is currently between outbreaks. Other tests such as culture testing and type-specific virologic tests are often employed instead as a confirmatory diagnosis for the patient’s condition.
A nucleic acid amplification test is a laboratory procedure that professionals often perform to make detecting a particular nucleic acid or gene being targeted easier and more convenient while still ensuring that the sample being collected is relatively minimal. Nucleic acid amplification tests, or NAATs, are usually the mainstay diagnostic test for most STDs due to their ability to detect the presence of pathogenic nucleic acids and genes in the patient sample with utmost accuracy and speed. NAATs depends on their ability to replicate the target RNA and DNA to create numerous copies – resulting in an increased convenience in the detection of the desired molecules instead of trying to either blindly look for one strand in a minuscule sample or collecting a large sample that could make the patient uncomfortable throughout the process. Although NAATs are often preferred for a more conclusive diagnosis of STDs, certain exceptions such as the availability of resources and instances of intermittent viral shedding could make NAATs less desirable than other tests. Fret not, however, as your physician is knowledgeable regarding these instances and would often request the best diagnostic procedure for your instances.
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Massachusetts STD Data
According to the Massachusetts Department of Health Integrated HIV/AIDS, STD, and Viral Hepatitis Surveillance Report 2019, the state recorded 31,642 cases of chlamydia in 2019, which makes it the most frequently reported STI in the Commonwealth. The total number of reported chlamydia infections increased by 49% from 21,211 in 2010 to over 31,642 in 2019, and a similar trend was observed between 2015 and 2019 when the cases increased 32%, from 23,937 to 31,642 in Massachusetts.
The statewide chlamydia incidence rate was over 444 per 100,000 population in 2019, which was lower than the 2018 national rates of 539.9/100,000 people. In 2019, the state ranked the 12th lowest in chlamydia incidence rate among the 50 US states. It is worth noting that the largest concentration of chlamydial infections is reported in urban areas. The top five cities most impacted by chlamydia in 2019 were Provincetown (over 2,000 cases/100,000 people), Lawrence (over 1,300 cases/100,000 people), Brockton (1,223/100,000 people), Springfield (1,064/100,000 people), and Chelsea (981/100,000 people).
The state recorded a sharp incline of 58% in gonorrhea infection rate between 2016 and 2017, making gonorrhea the second most common infectious disease in Massachusetts during this time. Between 2010 and 2019, the state reported 3.3 times more cases among males, from 1,483 to 5,014 cases, respectively. During 2015 and 2019, cases of gonorrhea among males increased 89% from 2,650 to 5,014, while the number of gonorrhea diagnoses among males was twice more than females in 2019, with 5,014 and 2,105, respectively. However, it is worth noting that the number of gonorrhea cases among females has increased by 2.1 times between 2010-2019, with 1,012 and 2,105 cases, respectively.
In 2019, the state’s gonorrhea incidence rate was 109.1/100,000 population, which was lower than the national rate of 179.1/100,000 population in 2018. Massachusetts ranked 11th lowest in incidences of gonorrhea among the 50 US states. In 2019, the state reported 7,175 gonorrhea cases, and the cities with the highest incidence rates were Provincetown with 1,434.0/100,000 people, Springfield with 382.5/100,000 people, Boston with 312.8/100,000 people, Brockton with 278.8/100,000 people, and Fitchburg with 262.5/100,000 population.
Between 2010 and 2019, Massachusetts reported a 2.7 times increment in the number of confirmed infectious syphilis cases, with 465 and 1,243, respectively. During 2015 and 2019, a similar trend was noted as the state recorded a 56% increase with 798 and 1,243 cases, respectively.
Males reported the highest disease burden between 2010 and 2019 as their case totaled around 89% to 94% each year. In 2018, there were 9 times more syphilis cases reported in males in the state compared to females. In 2019, there were 9 cases of congenital syphilis reported in Massachusetts, whereas the statewide rate of infectious syphilis (which means primary and secondary stages of syphilis) increased substantially with 17.7 cases/100,000 people in 2018.
The state ranked 24th in primary/secondary syphilis rates among the 50 states. The five states that reported the highest disease burden include Boston with over 46 cases/100,000 population, Everett with 46.0 cases/100,000 people, Chelsea with 45.3 cases/100,000 people, Springfield with over 42 cases/100,000 people, and Framingham with 39.2 cases/100,000 people.
Like the other parts of the country, Massachusetts has been badly impacted by the HIV epidemic. Data from state-wide epidemiological profile indicates that the number of people living with HIV in the state has increased by a whopping 21%, from 19,037 as recorded in 2019 to 20,739 in 2018. The total number of newly diagnosed cases in the state was 650.
Previously as per the data from the state health profile formulated by the CDC in 2015, the total number of newly diagnosed cases in Massachusetts was 600. The state was ranked 19th among the 50 U.S states for having the highest newly diagnosed HIV cases.
The epidemiological profile of Massachusetts indicates that the number of new diagnoses of HIV infection relatively remained stable at 700 diagnoses per year right from 2009 to 2013. Then later on during 2014 to 2018, the average dropped to 641 cases per year. The report further indicated that HIV-related mortalities in the state were highest in 2009 with 319 mortalities and lowest in 2011 with 263 mortalities per year.
The average rate of HIV-related death per year from 2009 to 2018 was 291. The cities and towns in Massachusetts with highest numbers of persons living with HIV infection (PLWH) in 2018 includes Provincetown (16,528.3 per 100,000), Boston (856.9), Springfield (852.1), Chelsea (784.0), and Holyoke (775.6).
Another report from CDC indicates that about 11% of the people with HIV residing in Massachusetts are not aware of them being HIV positive, which means that 89% of the people have been tested and know their status. In line with the national goals for HIV, the health authorities are trying to bring up the numbers to at least 90% of the people aware of them being HIV positive.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis is a medicine taken orally to prevent HIV infection. The medicine is given to those who belong to high-risk groups or live in communities where the prevalence of the infection is more. As per the same data, during 2018, 8,195 adults and adolescents have prescribed the medicine. Furthermore, CDC report shows that approximately 47,181 tests were conducted in the state of those 102 people who were linked to primary medical care within 90 days of the diagnosis by CDC-funded programs.
In 2019, around 46% of chlamydia cases in Massachusetts were reported among males, 67% among females, and 32% among the transgender community. Around 595 cases were reported among young adults and adolescents aged 15-24. During the same year, in Massachusetts, 25% of gonorrheal infections were reported among males, 48% among females, and 33% among the transgender community, while 32% of all cases were reported in people aged 15-24 years.
The estimated rate of infectious syphilis in 2019 was higher among men who have sex with men, with 588.5 cases reported per 100,000 population, and a majority of them were aged 18-64. This is 102 times higher infection rate than males who do not report sex with men as their rate was 5.8/100,000 population. Syphilis incidence across the state has increased by 56% among gay/bisexual men while men who have sex with men reported 71% of all syphilis cases reported in 2019.
Black (non-Hispanic) and Hispanic/Latino individuals accounted for 7% and 12% of the total state population, and 17% and 29% of the reported cases of infectious syphilis cases belonged to these races. Another shocking fact reported in the Massachusetts Department of Health’s STD surveillance report 2019 is that between 2010 to 2019, twice as many chlamydia cases were reported among females each year compared to males. The ratio of female to male chlamydia cases was 19,376 for females and 12,152 for males during this period. The most significant number of reported chlamydia cases was among 20-24 years olds and the second most impacted group was 15-19-year-olds.
However, the largest increase, nearly three times high, was recorded among individuals aged 50+ as cases increased from 270 in 2010 to 760 in 2019. Around half of all gonorrhea cases were reported among people aged 20-24 and 25-29 years between the same period. The number of cases among individuals aged 50+ nearly quadrupled between 2010 and 2019 with 149 and 612, respectively. Individuals aged between 30-39 years also reported a higher infection rate, with 459 reported cases in 2010 to 1,825 cases in 2019.
According to a report by AIDSVu, in 2018, 20,739 people were living with HIV in Massachusetts. Of the total number, 650 alone were newly diagnosed during the same year. The rate of people living with HIV in Massachusetts per 100,000 population was 349. Considering the total number of people living with HIV in the state, 70.7% were males, while 29.3% were females.
The same report indicated that of the total numbers of people living with the disease, White Americans population had a 39.9% share, followed by 29 % black Americans and 27 % individuals from Hispanic or Latin backgrounds. 42.4% of the cases were reported in the age group 55 years and above, 29.7% in ages 45 to 54 years, 15.5% in the age group 35 to 44 years, and 10.4% and 2.1% in the age group 25 to 34 and 13 to 24 respectively.
According to AIDSVu, in male categories, 63.6% of the transmission was due to male or gay sexual contact. 9.9% was transmitted due to heterosexual contact and 18.5% due to contaminated syringes. In females, the most popular transmission modes of the virus were heterosexual contact, 67.1%, followed by 29.7% due to the use of contaminated syringes.
Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Partner Services Program (PSP) helps people diagnosed with STDs to get treatment for their infections. Furthermore, through this program, their partners are notified about their possible exposure to an STD and are offered help in getting tested as well as receiving medical care as per their needs.
The Massachusetts General Hospital Infectious Diseases Division offers world-class clinical care, research, treatment, education, and management of sexually transmitted infections. The Infectious Diseases Division has been offering innovative, standard-setting, and comprehensive care for STD patients and those suffering from any infectious disease since 1956. The department offers a wide range of inpatient/outpatient clinical care services to patients with infectious diseases.
The physicians associated with this division are required to conduct a broad range of basic and clinical research activities in numerous areas, including molecular biology, microbiology, host defense, and immunology. Moreover, the Massachusetts General Hospital Sexual Health Clinic promotes sexual health awareness by ensuring appropriate screening and treatment of STIs and offering access to preventive services, including HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
The Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences (BIDLS) in Massachusetts tracks, tests, and combats infectious disease. BIDLS educates people in Massachusetts regarding preventive measures to contain the spread of disease and improve the quality of life for state residents. BIDLS works to protect people from infectious disease by offering tracking, education, health information, laboratory testing, vaccines, and relaying data to relevant medical professionals, local/regional health departments, state agencies, hospitals, schools, community-based organizations, first responders, correctional facilities, and the masses.
Massachusetts General Hospital, located in Boston, has a specialized HIV clinic that provides comprehensive and multidisciplinary care to individuals living with HIV in the state. This clinic provides counseling, awareness and preventive care, primary medical care, antiretroviral therapy, and case management for HIV-positive residents of the state. The clinic and some of the prestigious universities located in the state are also involved in the research and development of HIV vaccines.
TUFTS Medical Center is yet another center specialized in providing cutting-edge treatments to individuals with HIV. HIV is a disease that needs long-term or, in some cases, lifetime care, and TUFTS medical center is one of the places where patients have been coming for years to get HIV-related treatments.
UMass Memorial Health is a medical center that provides all the primary medical care to patients with HIV. The services also include counseling and nutritional programs for people living with HIV and medical treatments, including case management services. Care for women who have been diagnosed with HIV and are pregnant is also provided at the UMass Memorial Center.
Fenway Health is one of the country's most prominent HIV-specialized care providers. This organization is dedicated to providing primary medical care and counseling services for HIV-infected patients. The organization also provides antiretroviral therapy and side effects management services to those patients who require the treatment. Fenway health has financial assistance and health insurance programs for individuals belonging to low-income groups.
How Does it Work?
Most people experience feelings of hesitation when going to get tested for STD, despite knowing they might have contracted one. EasySTD was created to change that.
Visit your nearest lab or clinic, order your home testing kit online, and follow the given instructions from an STD testing provider.
After ordering your STD test, visit the testing center to get tested or take a self sample including urine, cotton swab, or finger prick with the home testing kit and mail it back.
Receive the lab-certified results of your STD test from your test provider via mail or phone within 2 to 3 days. If the test comes positive, consult your doctor immediately.
Help stop the spread of STDs by knowing your status. Get tested today!
