Santa Barbara County Public Health reminds people about sexually transmitted disease testing

SANTA BARBARA, CA – Santa Barbara County Public Health Department (SBCPHD), California Department of Public Health, and CDC all recognize STI Awareness Week starting April 14th.

This period aims to raise awareness about sexually transmitted infections in an effort to reduce the stigma surrounding them and increase knowledge about how to treat, prevent and test for sexually transmitted infections.

Gonorrhea and syphilis numbers have all increased since the pandemic, with county records remaining for 2022, according to the SBCPHD.

Santa Barbara County is reminding sexually active people to take the following precautions:

The following information is from the SBCPHD press release:

• Talk openly and honestly with your health care provider about sexual health and sexually transmitted infections.
  Your provider is trained and knowledgeable to answer your sexual questions
  health.
• Talk to your partner before you have sex.
  o Ask each other when was the last time you got tested.
  o Suggest that you take the test together.
  o Be honest with your partner if you have a sexually transmitted disease (such as herpes or HIV).
  Discuss the adjustments you both need to make during sex.
  o Use condoms correctly during all acts of vaginal, anal, and oral sex.
  Throughout the entire sexual act (from beginning to end).
• Please get tested. This is the only way to know for sure if you have an STI or HIV.
  o Many sexually transmitted infections do not cause symptoms, so you may not know you are infected.
  o Sexually active people over the age of 18 can order a self-test kit at:
  TakeMeHome.org is free.
• If you test positive for an STI, work with your health care provider to
  process. Remember that all sexually transmitted diseases are treatable.Make sure the treatment is effective by
  Do these things:
  o Take all medicines prescribed by your health care provider, even if:
  You will start to feel better or your symptoms will disappear.
  o Do not share your medicine with anyone.
  o Don't have sex again until you and your sex partner are done with everything.
  process.

For more information, please visit the SBCPHD website on sexual health.