Private MD News

Groups urge STD testing for those at risk

Category: Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Experts are urging members of high-risk communities to seek regular STD testing in order to lower their odds of transmitting the disease to other individuals. Despite advancements in treating the infection, new cases are still prominent.

A group of experts in Chicago recently held a panel discussion called "Stop Transmitting the Silence" to discuss the ways low rates of STD testing are affecting minority communities, according to the Windy City Times. Speakers said that these groups are among the leaders in new infections, yet there is little progress being made in preventing the spread of diseases due to prevalent misinformation.

"The misinformation is out there that you have to be promiscuous or doing something that's out of the box," said Kimberly Smith, a doctor at Rush Medical Center, according to the news source. "You don't have to have a lot of partners. You don't have to use drugs. You don't have to do anything out of the ordinary. You just have to come across the wrong person and not use protection."

Because it is so easy to become infected with an STD, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that all sexually active individuals should seek regular STD testing.