Marlboro County reports about 529 gonorrhea cases per 100,000 residents, well above the US average. If you've had a recent risk or test on a regular schedule in Tatum, South Carolina, you can weigh visiting a clinic for immediate answers and treatment, against the convenience of a home collection kit. Look below for your options.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Tatum, SC. The nearest, CareSouth Carolina, is about 1.2 miles away. Compare community and public clinics, private labs, and at-home kits below.
Listings tagged Community health center are federally funded health centers and rural clinics that treat everyone regardless of insurance or ability to pay: required to bill on a sliding fee scale and provide confidential care, and in many states minors may consent to their own STI testing. A Title X tag flags centers funded for confidential family-planning services; confirm current participation when you call.
Source: CMS FQHC & Rural Health Clinic enrollment files (data.cms.gov), refreshed quarterly. Title X status reflects the latest OPA grantee list.
A public STD-testing location about 1 mile from Tatum, run as a Federally Qualified Health Center with sliding-scale fees.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Oct 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
South Carolina Department of Public Health in Bennettsville tests for HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, and hepatitis C, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, on a sliding scale, and every service carries no charge. An appointment is required.
Cash-pay care with no provider on file and no insurance to run means the full cost lands on you, unless the clinic absorbs it entirely. South Carolina Department of Public Health in Bennettsville charges nothing for any service it offers, sliding-scale included: testing, treatment, prevention, vaccines, all of it.
South Carolina Department of Public Health in Bennettsville prescribes all three prevention medications directly: daily oral PrEP for ongoing HIV prevention, PEP for post-exposure HIV risk, and DoxyPEP. The doxycycline regimen taken after condomless sex to reduce bacterial STI acquisition. Each requires its own counseling and monitoring, handled in-clinic.
Gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV are the floor. Herpes and hepatitis C testing are where many public clinics simply don't go. South Carolina Department of Public Health in Bennettsville runs both, so a single appointment can surface infections that a narrower panel would leave undetected.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Aug 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
A community safety-net federally qualified health center about 6 miles from Tatum. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Free tool · not a clinic
Testing too soon can miss an infection. Enter the date of possible exposure to see the earliest a test can reliably detect each STI.
| Infection | Earliest reliable test | Conclusive after |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 7 days after exposure | 14 days after exposure |
| Gonorrhea | 7 days after exposure | 14 days after exposure |
| Trichomoniasis | 7 days after exposure | 28 days after exposure |
| HIV (NAT / RNA) | 10 days after exposure | 33 days after exposure |
| HIV (4th-gen Ag/Ab) | 18 days after exposure | 45 days after exposure |
| HIV (antibody) | 21 days after exposure | 84 days after exposure |
| Syphilis | 21 days after exposure | 42 days after exposure |
| Hepatitis B | 21 days after exposure | 42 days after exposure |
| Hepatitis C | 56 days after exposure | 77 days after exposure |
| Herpes (HSV) | 28 days after exposure | 112 days after exposure |
Guidance only, confirm timing with a clinician. A negative result before the conclusive date may need a repeat test.
Typical out-of-pocket ranges by option, actual cost depends on which tests you need.
Public / community clinic
Free HIV testing is common
Private lab (self-pay)
Never billed to insurance
At-home kit
Mailed to your door, private
Doctor / urgent care
Often $0 preventive with insurance
No centers match those filters. Clear the service-type filter or the opening-hours filters to see every center.
Every other option
Beyond the dedicated testing centers above: at-home kits by mail, hospital labs certified for STI testing, local clinicians who can order a panel during a regular visit, pharmacies for self-test kits and prescriptions, and online PrEP & treatment.
Test from home
The nearest testing center is about 1 mile away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Tatum, you collect the sample privately, and mail it back to a CLIA-certified lab. Results come online in days, with a clinician available if anything is positive. Same labs as a clinic, no waiting room, and you can read how accurate at-home STD tests are before you order.
Want a free option first? The CDC-supported TakeMeHome (opens in a new tab) program mails free at-home HIV self-test kits, and, in many areas, free STI kits, to your door, with no insurance or payment needed. The paid kits below add broader panels and faster turnaround.
In-home collection
$79 & up
Best value: single tests
$49 & up
Best range: couples & full panels
$79 & up
Every kit uses CLIA-certified labs. At-home testing is for screening; a reactive result should be confirmed and treated by a clinician. Prices and panels shown are illustrative and change often, confirm current details on the provider's site.
Local clinicians
Beyond dedicated clinics, 116 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Tatum. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 23 offer telehealth.
James Fleming, MD
Family medicine · 3080 Hwy 15-401 East, Mc Coll
Veronica Efros, MD
Family medicine · 102 Lindsay Avenue, Bennettsville
Joseph Williams Telehealth
Internal medicine · 304 East Market Street, Bennettsville
Matthew Manzo, MD
Family medicine · 957 Cheraw Street, Bennettsville
Harmeet Gill, MD
Internal medicine · 999 Cheraw Street, Bennettsville
Kifle Admassu, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 113 Ellison Street, Bennettsville
These are registry-listed clinicians, not dedicated STD-testing clinics. CMS records do not independently verify current licensure, testing services, availability, price, or new-patient status. Confirm each detail before booking. Source: CMS Doctors & Clinicians.
Nearby pharmacies
No pharmacy near Tatum, SC publishes an STD-related service or holds a current CLIA testing certificate, so these are simply the closest. Contact a location directly to confirm counter hours, services, prices, and availability before visiting.
CSC Community Pharmacy-McColl
1.2 miFowler Pharmacy
5.7 miScottie Discount Drugs
5.8 miMarlboro Drug Company
5.8 miScotland Pharmacy - Bennettsville
6.3 miShowing the 5 closest pharmacies to Tatum, SC.
Directory records identify nearby pharmacies. Service, stock, price, and hours information is shown only when supported by current location-specific evidence.
Prevention & treatment
Testing is one step. For residents of Tatum, telehealth covers the rest: HIV-prevention medication (PrEP) and DoxyPEP to lower future risk, and discreet online treatment if a result comes back positive. All prescribed by licensed U.S. clinicians.
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or to your pharmacy
Visit from $39
Online STI treatment & DoxyPEP: same-day prescriptions to your pharmacy
$0 with most insurance
Free online PrEP & DoxyPEP: HIV prevention, home lab kits, no in-person visit
From $0 insured
Telehealth PrEP & DoxyPEP with at-home testing and ongoing monitoring
Pricing varies by insurance and changes often, confirm on the provider's site. These services are not a substitute for emergency care.
STD stats & rates
How reported STI rates in Marlboro County, the county that includes Tatum, compare with South Carolina and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~16% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#7 of 46 South Carolina counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 85% of the state
| Infection | Marlboro County | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 1015.4 261 cases ▲ 66% | 612.1 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 529.1 136 cases ▲ 138% | 222.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 3.9 1 cases ▼ 77% | 17.3 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 19.5 5 cases ▲ 4% | 18.8 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 3.9 1 cases ▼ 67% | 11.7 | 29.5 |
Rates per 100,000 population, 2023. Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county, state & U.S., all-ages basis). Population figures: U.S. Census Bureau ACS. These figures are the latest available surveillance estimates. Bars are scaled to the highest rate shown.
Reading these numbers: reported case rates only count infections that were actually tested for and diagnosed, so they track local screening effort as much as true spread: a higher rate can reflect more testing, a lower one less. Either way, most STIs cause no symptoms, so treat the figures above as context rather than a verdict, and test on the CDC's schedule regardless of how your area looks.
Between 2020 and 2023 in Marlboro County, chlamydia has risen from 855 to 1015.4 per 100,000 (19%), gonorrhea has risen from 446.2 to 529.1 per 100,000 (19%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 3.7 to 3.9 per 100,000 (5%).
The 2020 dip reflects reduced pandemic-era screening, not lower transmission. Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county, state & U.S., all-ages basis).
Community health context
Sources: CDC PLACES (ZIP), County Health Rankings, CDC/ATSDR SVI, HRSA HPSA, HRSA MUA/P, Neighborhood Atlas ADI. Lower insurance coverage, fewer routine checkups, and a thin primary-care ratio all raise the value of low-cost public clinics and at-home testing in Marlboro County.
Local HIV snapshot
Federal priority area: South Carolina is one of the U.S. jurisdictions prioritized under the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative: targeted federal funding to expand local HIV testing, PrEP, and prevention.
Marlboro County HIV care continuum (2023)
Marlboro County recorded 36.2 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 18.3 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Marlboro County residents living with HIV, 71.9% are in care · 56.3% are virally suppressed. Early, routine testing is what moves these numbers: it is the entry point to PrEP, treatment, and viral suppression.
Sources: AIDSVu (Emory/Gilead) · CDC AHEAD · CDC AtlasPlus · CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county care continuum). The CDC recommends everyone aged 13–64 test for HIV at least once: every lab and clinic listed above offers HIV testing, and free rapid HIV testing is available at a local health department.
Congenital syphilis, passed from parent to baby in pregnancy, is the fastest-rising STI in the country. U.S. cases climbed from 2,163 in 2020 to 3,882 in 2023. It is almost entirely preventable: the CDC recommends a syphilis test at the first prenatal visit, and every clinic and lab listed for Marlboro County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
East Main Street runs through a town where most households own their homes and have for years: that kind of stability can make Tatum feel self-contained, unhurried, and easy to take for granted when it comes to health decisions that feel less urgent than a leaky roof or a car repair. With no households in the upper income brackets and one in five residents out of work, the cost of a clinic visit (copay, gas, time off) is a real calculation, not a theoretical one. That calculation falls hardest on younger adults still in the relationship-forming years of their late teens and twenties, the stretch of life when STI rates run highest and when a visit that requires driving out of town can quietly become a visit that never happens.
The options listed on this page span clinics in and around Tatum and across Marlboro County, and knowing the full range, including sliding-scale and low-cost sites, matters more here than in places where a testing center is a short walk away. The Clio Historic District sits just down the road; the nearest clinic on this list may sit considerably farther, so bookmarking a specific location and hours now saves the scramble later.
Getting there
At 4.58/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Tatum generally mean driving: plan on a car or rideshare to reach a clinic, and check each listing's hours and phone before you go.
Source: EPA National Walkability Index 2021.
ZIP 29594 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 29594 area around Tatum: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Tatum alone.
Tatum sits in Marlboro County, ZIP 29594. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Tatum? These nearby communities have their own testing guides: clinics, at-home kits, and free screening close to home.
Reference
Everything to know before you test in Marlboro County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under South Carolina law. If you have symptoms right now, our confidential symptom checker maps them to the tests worth considering.
Based on current CDC screening recommendations.
| Group | Tests | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Everyone aged 13–64 | HIV | At least once |
| Sexually active women under 25 | Chlamydia, gonorrhea | Every year |
| Women 25+ with new or multiple partners | Chlamydia, gonorrhea | Every year |
| Pregnant people | HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B & C, chlamydia | Early in pregnancy |
| Gay & bisexual men (MSM) | Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV | Every 3–6 months |
| Anyone who shares injection equipment | HIV, hepatitis B & C | At least yearly |
| All adults at least once | Hepatitis C | At least once |
Testing too early can return a false negative, confirm timing with a Tatum-area provider.
| Infection | Earliest reliable test | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 1–2 weeks | Urine or swab |
| Gonorrhea | 1–2 weeks | Urine or swab |
| Trichomoniasis | 1–4 weeks | Urine or swab |
| HIV (NAT / RNA) | 10–33 days | Blood |
| HIV (4th-gen Ag/Ab) | 18–45 days | Blood |
| HIV (antibody) | 3–12 weeks | Blood / oral |
| Syphilis | 3–6 weeks | Blood |
| Hepatitis B | 3–6 weeks | Blood |
| Hepatitis C | 8–11 weeks | Blood |
| Herpes (HSV) | 4–16 weeks (antibody); swab a sore | Blood / swab |
These are the federal Medicare reference prices for processing each lab test. Public clinics and the community health centers serving Tatum often test free or on a sliding scale; private labs and at-home kits bundle several tests into one fee. Use this as a per-test benchmark before you pay out of pocket, or see the full guide to STD test costs for insurance, free, and at-home options.
| Test | Reference price | CPT / HCPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia (NAAT) | $47.80 | 87491 |
| Gonorrhea (NAAT) | $47.80 | 87591 |
| Trichomoniasis (NAAT) | $47.76 | 87661 |
| HIV-1/2 antigen/antibody | $26.87 | 87389 |
| HIV-1/2 antibody | $22.44 | 86703 |
| Syphilis (RPR/VDRL) | $5.61 | 86592 |
| Syphilis (treponemal antibody) | $17.49 | 86780 |
| Herpes (HSV NAAT) | $47.76 | 87529 |
| Hepatitis B surface antigen | $15.33 | 87340 |
| Hepatitis C antibody | $29.16 | 86803 |
Source: Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, CMS, 2025 rates (data.cms.gov). Reference rate for the lab assay only: a clinic visit, sample collection, or a bundled multi-test panel may cost more. Medicaid and most insurers cover STD screening at no out-of-pocket cost.
Two things that actually depend on South Carolina law: who can consent, and whether partners can be treated without their own visit. Everything else about testing privately is the same nationwide (see below).
In South Carolina, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
South Carolina permits Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT): if you test positive for chlamydia or gonorrhea, your provider can give you medication (or a prescription) to pass to your partner, no separate exam or appointment needed for them.
Keeping a test private works the same in every state. Whether an STD test shows on insurance (the EOB), how to test anonymously, and self-pay options that leave no insurance trail don’t change by location.
Learn more about confidential STD testing in South CarolinaSource: Guttmacher Institute, Minors' Access to STI Services; CDC, Legal Status of Expedited Partner Therapy. General information, not legal advice.
Good to Know
Answers to the questions people ask most before getting tested.
The closest is CareSouth Carolina (1.2 mi); 3 options are within 30 miles.
Medicaid generally covers STD testing, and public clinics test for free regardless of coverage.
Yes, South Carolina Department of Public Health (5.6 mi) offers free testing, and public clinics serve the uninsured.
Local options test for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Rapid HIV, a full panel covers the common ones.
About 1,015 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), above the South Carolina average.
In South Carolina, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
PrEP (HIV-prevention medicine for HIV-negative people) is available locally, any provider can prescribe it.
Expedited partner therapy lets a provider treat a partner without an exam, where state law allows.
Just note your exposure dates and symptoms; for urine tests, hold off urinating ~1 hour before.
A clinic offers same-day answers and on-site treatment; an at-home kit trades that for privacy and convenience, both use real lab testing.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.