Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are on the rise nationally and in Tennessee, revealed by the Centers for Disease Control's Annual STD Surveillance Report, 2018. As per this report, which examines STD trends from 2014 to 2018, the rate of reportable STDs, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, has increased significantly in Tennessee and the USA.
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Congenital syphilis rates have increased tremendously. Tennessee ranks 11th in all 50 US states for the highest gonorrhea cases, 17th in chlamydial infection rates, and 27th in primary and secondary syphilis rates. Moreover, the state ranked 19th for the number of congenital syphilis cases in which the state has observed a 19% increase since 2017.
The United States is currently undergoing an STD epidemic. The rising rates of STDs is a startling and shocking development. According to 2018 data released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), STD rates are at an all-time high in the country and indicate a troubling trend that intensified over the past five years, with new records being set each year. Since 2013, STD cases have been increasing in the country, with chlamydia, gonorrhea, and all staged syphilis comprising 2.4 million disease cases in 2018. Comparatively, HIV rates have remained plateaued as the case rates remained close to 39,000 infections in a year since 2013.
The three reportable STDs gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia, are capable of causing extreme harm to infected individuals as well as their partners. Lifelong pain and infertility are quite common complications of STDs, but it can also lead to severe infections, and in some cases, especially with syphilis, death or permanent is also a probability.
With the increase in the number of cases, the number of adverse health consequences will also increase. The only way to reduce this incline in STD rates is by getting tested and remaining fully aware of your sexual health status. If diagnosed at the right time, it is possible to treat most STDs and prevent them from getting transmitted to other individuals.
536 N. Thompson Lane Ste F, Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37129
24.89 mile
Tel: 8666978378
Today's best offer is: $10 off any order. Discount will be applied automatically.
In metro areas, the Tennessee Department of Health provides free rapid HIV testing to high-risk individuals. HIV rapid test results are available in 20 minutes. Those areas are Knoxville, Chattanooga, Nashville and Memphis.
140 Dover St, Shelbyville, Tennessee 37160
7.67 mile
Tel: (931) 684-3426
Tel: (931) 684-5860
Appointment Required: Yes
206 Legion St, Lewisburg, Tennessee 37091
12.89 mile
Tel: (931) 359-1551
Tel: (931) 359-0542
Appointment Required: Yes
Free condoms available.
251 Majors Blvd, Rm 1, Lynchburg, Tennessee 37352
20.62 mile
Tel: (931) 759-4251
Tel: (931) 759-6380
Appointment Required: Yes
Cash only practice however patients (for visits), but will prescribe medications applicable to the patient's insurance. ...
268 Veterans Pkwy, Ste F, Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37128
21.06 mile
Tel: (615) 488-4172
Appointment Required: Yes
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 Tennessee. 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.
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.
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.
Similar to what was previously mentioned, herpes infections are known for their recurring tendencies – causing outbreaks now and then and thus causing an intermittent spike in the patient’s viral load for specific instances. In addition to that, other STDs also take time to proliferate and produce a sufficient viral load that could warrant a positive and, more importantly, accurate diagnosis and detection from the tests being administered. As such, detecting an STD a few days following exposure is often complex and unpredictable – leading physicians to follow a certain timeframe instead for testing STDs instead of blindly testing immediately following exposure. Physical exams, however, may supplement inaccurate laboratory diagnoses, especially in cases where the test is prone to false results.
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.
Standard STD testing can detect common sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, and hepatitis B and C. Additional tests may be required for less common STDs or specific situations.
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Tennessee STD Data
According to Tennessee State Health Department's STD Surveillance Report 2018-19, during 2015–2018, the rate of reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis and the number of STD cases increased dramatically. In 2019, around 41,501 chlamydia cases, 16,183 gonorrhea cases, and 683 P&S syphilis cases were reported in the state with a rate of 607.7 cases/100,000 people, 237.0 cases/100,000 people, and 10.0 cases/100,000 people, respectively.
The number and rate of chlamydial infections in Tennessee have increased since 2015. In 2018, the state reported 14,666 gonorrhea cases and 1,730 reported syphilis cases. In 2018, according to the same report, the state recorded 38,282 chlamydia cases at a rate of 565.5 cases/100,000 people. Overall, the number and rate of syphilis cases across all stages of the disease have increased since 2014.
In 2018, the public health region reporting the highest rate of chlamydia was Shelby, with 1,044.1 cases/100,000 people, while in gonorrhea rates, Shelby recorded the highest number of cases with 465.3 cases/100,000 people. Davidson had higher rates of syphilis (P&S) at 20.2 cases/100,000 people.
According to Tennessee's health department, men accounted for 88% of P&S syphilis cases in 2018. Men who have sex with men accounted for the highest number of these cases. Out of the 553 total P&S syphilis cases, 54% or 300 cases were reported among MSM, and 9% or 33 cases were reported among men who have sex with men and women. Another startling fact revealed in the report is that in 2018, twelve cases of congenital syphilis were reported in Tennessee at a rate of 14.9 cases/100,000 live births in the state.
West Tennessee and Madison County are two regions in Tennessee state that have recorded some of the highest STDs rates in the country. Madison County's disease rate generally ranks among Tennessee's top five counties regarding chlamydia and gonorrhea. Over the past five years, there's been a significant rise in the number of syphilis cases as well.
According to the Centers for Diseases Control, CDC, 2015 the total number of newly diagnosed cases of HIV in 2015 was 712, making the state rank at 16th of the 50 U.S states for having the highest numbers of HIV. Moreover, as per the findings of a news source, recently, there has been a slight upward trend in the newly diagnosed cases of HIV in Tennessee. Most of the newly diagnosed cases were reported in individuals using some injectable drugs. Health authorities across the states have come up with various initiatives to help reduce the stigma around the disease and the frequency of occurrence of the human immunodeficiency virus or HIV.
As per another report by the CDC, the total number of people living with HIV in the state was 20,000. Approximately 660 individuals, both adults and adolescents, were newly diagnosed with HIV in the state. The same report indicated that around 86% of the residents with HIV are fully aware of them having the disease, which means a good percentage of 14% of people with HIV are not getting the primary medical care for HIV.
Data from the Tennessee government records indicate that Black or African Americans were disproportionately affected by the disease. The rate per 100,000 persons for non-Hispanic or black individuals was 507.6, while 101.1 for Hispanic whites, 106.5 for non-Hispanic and other races and 39 per 100,000 population of non-Hispanic whites.
Memphis and Nashville are the two largest areas of Tennessee state, where most cases come from. Around 60% of the new cases come from these two cities combined. Considering Memphis, 88% of the new infections are among African Americans, while in Nashville, 54% of the newly diagnosed cases come from individuals with African American backgrounds.
During 2014–2018, the highest rate of gonorrhea, chlamydia, and P&S syphilis in Tennessee was reported among non-Hispanics blacks compared to non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics. Around 487 cases of P&S syphilis were reported in the male population at a rate of 14.7 cases/100,000 males. In contrast, the infection rate among females was much lower than males, with 66 cases reported at 1.49 cases/100,000 females.
In 2018, females accounted for 25,193 cases of chlamydia at a rate of 726.5 cases/100,000 females, while the rate among men was lower with 13,085 cases reported at a rate of 396.3 cases/100,000 males. The same year, around 7,962 gonorrheal infections were diagnosed among males for a rate of 216.6 cases/100,000 males, and females accounted for 6,704 cases for a rate of 193.3/100,000 females.
Furthermore, during 2018, the 20-24-year olds reported the highest rate of chlamydial infections with 14,413 cases, followed by 15-19-year olds who accounted for 10,635 cases. Moreover, 20-24-year olds reported the highest number of gonorrhea infections as well, with 1,045.9 cases/100,000 individuals. Between 2014 and 2017, the 2nd highest gonorrhea rate was observed among 15-19-year olds in Tennessee, but in 2018 this position was claimed by 25-29-year olds as this age group reported the 2nd highest rate of infection at 666.7 cases/100,000 people aged 25-29.
In 2018, Tennessee reported 144 cases of P&S syphilis among individuals aged 25-29 for a rate of 29.7 cases/100,000 25-29-year olds, followed by 20-24-year olds with 27.7 cases/100,000 people of the same age.
Within the past five years, in Tennessee, non-Hispanic blacks reported the highest chlamydia infection rate with 18,070 cases for a rate of 1,588.2/100,000 population compared to 293.8 cases/100,000 people among non-Hispanic whites and 514.9 cases per 100,000 people among Hispanics. Between 2014 and 2018, non-Hispanic blacks reported the highest rate of gonorrhea infection too, with 9,035 cases reported for 797.0/100,000 people compared to 97.1 cases/100,000 people among non-Hispanic whites and over 87 cases/100,000 people among the Hispanic population. During the same period, non-Hispanic blacks reported the highest number of P&S syphilis cases for over 25 cases per 100,000 people, followed by non-Hispanic whites who reported 4.8 cases/100,000 people, and Hispanics accounted for 6.3 cases/100,000 people.
According to the data from AidsVu, the total number of people living with HIV/AIDS in Tennessee were 17,667, while the rate of HIV per 100,000 population was 307. Considering the data from the same report, 75.2% of the HIV positive individuals were males while 24.8% were females.
The report indicated that HIV disproportionately affected the black American population. Out of the total number of people living with HIV, 54.7% were Black Americans, 34.7% were White Americans, and only 5.9% belonged to Hispanic or Latin background.
Considering the age-wise breakdown, most of the HIV positive individuals were 55 years or above (30%), 27.4% of the total people living with HIV were between age group 45 to 54 years, 20.7% between 35 to 44 years, while 18.2% and 3.7% belonged to ages 25 to 34 years and 13 to 24 years respectively.
The same data indicates that during 2019 the total number of HIV related deaths were 307, while the rate of death per 100,000 population in 2019 was 5. Most of the HIV related mortalities were males; 73.3% and 26.7% were female HIV positive residents of Tennessee.
In males, the most popular transmission modes of the virus were male to male or gay sexual contact, 77.5%, while 11.2% of the reported cases were due to heterosexual contact. In females, the most common transmission mode was heterosexual contact (84.2%), while 13.4% of the cases were reported due to contaminated syringe use. Injection or contaminated syringe use accounted for 5% of the cases in male residents.
The Tennessee Health Department reports and manages the cases of gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and human immunodeficiency virus in West Tennessee. The department works with private physicians to report STD cases across the country and ensure optimum public safety by preventing disease outbreaks.
Individuals with known STDs or people concerned about possible exposure to an STD can request testing and treatment at the health department. The state's health department comprises staff trained in disease intervention methods and offers quality treatment, disease management and follow up counseling for STD-infected individuals. These services are carried out confidentially and at little to no cost in most scenarios.
The Tennessee Department of Health's (TDH) STD Prevention Program is an important initiative to manage the state's STD outbreak and maintain a case surveillance registry. Chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea, the three reportable STDs by law, are the department's primary focus.
Case reports of STD-infected individuals are sent to the TDH and comprise vital variables such as demographic features, treatment information, and STD risk factors. This information is stored in the department's Patient Reporting Investigation Surveillance Manager (PRISM). The annual epidemiological reports are created using this data.
The Center of Excellence project is a coordinated and standardized delivery system. It encompasses a comprehensive range of services for STD-infected individuals and their families so that they can meet their health care and psychological needs across all stages of the illness.
The State of Tennessee ensures the seamless provision of STD/HIV drug assistance and medical services as well as insurance assistance. The services are offered to eligible Tennessee residents. Eligibility criteria involve an individual's eligibility for the Ryan White Part B Medical Services Program coverage or coverage by the Insurance Assistance Program, the HIV Drug Assistance Program, etc.
Tennessee Department of Health has HIV and STD programs with a primary responsibility of implementing strategies related to the disease using various agencies across the state. ON ITS MISSION, Tennessee HIV Prevention and Care reduces the number of newly diagnosed cases of HIV in the state and improve the living conditions for people with HIV has specialized programs that look after all the HIV related issues in the state. These programs also look after allocating Ryan White Part B funds to the agencies for treatment and other HIV related services.
Nashville Cares, founded in 1985, is one of the oldest HIV service organizations in the state. The organization currently provides services to 50,000 people annually in 17 counties statewide. The services include confidential and free HIV testing, educational programs, medical services, and housing and financial assistance programs for residents of Tennessee with HIV.
Street Works is yet another HIV related initiative in the state. The main aim of this organization is to provide services such as counselling, testing, medical case management, housing, and psychosocial services to people with HIV. There are several programs such as prevention and education, syringe services, and early intervention services to help HIV positive residents of the state.
Nashville Regional HIV Planning Council help in connecting the uninsured or underinsured HIV positive residents of the state to the much-needed services. Along with the financial assistance, this initiative also provides Dental care services, early intervention, financial assistance, HIV/AIDS medication, case management services, mental health services, and housing assistance services to the HIV positive individuals of Tennessee.
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!
