In the Unites States, young adults, persons in the minority populations, and gay men are excessively weighed down with sexually transmitted diseases.
Untreated STDs can play havoc with patients. It can result in infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and a high risk of acquiring HIV.
The stigmas attached to STDs are making people hesitant to get screened. This deterrent has to be removed at all cost if the spread of this disease is to be countered.
Access to timely, confidential, and quality STD diagnostics and treatment can go a long way in helping people cure themselves.
It is heartening that most walk-in clinics offer discreet and confidential STD testing.
For example, a walk-in clinic in Arlington VA offers quick testing without an appointment.
Such clinics have diagnosed a good number of patients having primary and secondary syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV.
Services provided by walk-in clinics are at low cost including to those who may not have insurance.
The availability of walk-in STD testing clinics is continuing to be the primary reason for choosing a center for STD care.
According to a medical professional, “Adolescents have high rates of STD, particularly chlamydia and gonorrhea. A good percentage of them seek care in a walk-in because they are open after-hours”.
The sexual health expertise and testing infrastructure at such clinics as well as availability of same day walk-in appointments have made such centers play a pivotal role in STD care.
Yet, STD testing rates among adolescents are low.
This aspect is a cause for concern.
One reason could be that exposed individuals do not feel at risk, in part because most sexually transmitted infections are asymptomatic.
Adolescents must be made to understand that chlamydia, the most prevalent bacterial STD, causes significant morbidity specifically in women.
Counseling
The role of proper counseling cannot be overestimated.
At several walk-ins, doctors do counsel all those diagnosed with STD.
They provide guidelines for prevention and risk reduction.
At a walk-in clinic in Arlington VA doctors give advice tailored to each individual’s risk behavior. This technique has proved to be very effective.
Behavioral counseling for people at risk is essential. This approach needs to propagate more for the larger benefit of adolescents at risk.
It is true there are constraints such as uneasiness while discussing sexual matters with patients.
These limitations can be effectively overcome by training providers with the requisite skills.
These limitations can be effectively overcome by training providers with the requisite skills.
