HEALTH RESOURCES CENTER TAKING A BITE OUT OF STDs
Through Testing, Treatment and Education
By Becky Laney, Nurse Manager at the Health Resources Center
There’s a lot of misunderstanding about sex and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) today. One reason is that many people think of AIDS when they think about sexually transmitted diseases. We hear abut AIDS activists, AIDS fund-raising, but there are many other sexually transmitted diseases. In fact, in the last 15 years or so, STDs have reached epidemic proportions in the United States. The most prevalent is chlamydia and gonorrhea. Yet most of us don’t realize how many people around us are infected because the people who have the infections are embarrassed and don’t want to discuss it, even with their boyfriends or girlfriends. Others don’t have any symptoms of infection, and they don’t know they’re infecting other people. Unfortunately, chlamydia and gonorrhea have no symptoms initially and when the symptoms do present themselves, serious irreversible damage may have already occurred.
Health Resources Center offers free testing and treatment for the most frequently reported; chlamydia and second most commonly reported; gonorrhea.
With a simple urine test, called Nucleic Acid Amplification Test or NAAT a person can find out whether or not he or she is infected. And since chlamydia and gonorrhea are bacterial infections, they can be treated and cured.
Testing will be a two part process, clients will come in to fill out a form and give a urine sample. The following week they will return for their test results and treatment if indicated. Clients will receive crucial information regarding sexually transmitted infections.
Please remember that all of our services are free and completely confidential. If you have any questions about STDs or any of our other services, feel free to stop in at Health Resources Center, located at 126 E. Lincoln Ave. Or call us at 1-800-450-4673.
This program is funded in part by a grant from the Minnesota Department of Health and from Private Donations from caring adults, churches, and businesses.