Alameda to Offer Free STD Home Test Kit for Women

From the Alameda County Department of Public Health:

Alameda County Public Health Department (ACPHD) is launching a new program to detect chlamydia and gonorrhea among young women through a free STD home test kit.

Funded in part by the California Department of Public Health’s STD Control Branch, I Know Alameda is modeled after Los Angeles County’s I Know home testing project, which has tested thousands of women since it began in 2009.

Sacramento and San Diego Counties also are launching I Know campaigns, expanding access to this free, accurate, and confidential testing service. I Know features a website where young women can order test kits, find out their results, learn more about STDs, and get referrals for treatment. “Getting these test kits into the hands of young women has helped us find new cases of STDs that would otherwise have gone undetected. Women have told us that they like having an easy, convenient way to take charge of their health,” said Heidi Bauer, Chief of the California Department of Public Health STD Control Branch.

“We want people working in these communities to help spread the word about this exciting new strategy.” The I Know Alameda home test kit is specifically designed for women 25 years of age and younger. Young women can order a kit online, receive it by mail within a few days, and take the test in private.

Tests are processed by the San Francisco County Public Health Laboratory and results will be available online or by phone one week later. A text message and/or e-mail will also be sent, reminding recipients that results are available online.

Participants will use a unique username and password to confidentially access their results. “Chlamydia and gonorrhea are two of the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in Alameda County. We have consistently high rates of both among teens and young adults, especially among young women,” said ACPHD Director and Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis. “I Know Alameda connects young women to confidential testing for STDs and gives them the information they need to obtain treatment if necessary. It also arms them with the information needed to take charge of protecting their health, whether they test positive or not. I Know has successfully connected people to STD testing, care and treatment, and information in other areas of California. We are looking forward to having the same success here.” 

Alameda County consistently ranks as one of the counties with the highest chlamydia and gonorrhea rates in California. In 2011, Alameda County had 6,652 reported cases of chlamydia and 1,508 reported cases of gonorrhea. The highest rates of chlamydia were in females ages 15 to 24 (3,154 per 100,000). Chlamydia and gonorrhea often have no signs or symptoms.

When left untreated they can have long-term consequences, including pelvic inflammatory disease, reproductive organ damage, ectopic pregnancy, infertility, and increased susceptibility to HIV infection, if exposed. The home test kit can be ordered through the I Know Alameda program’s website: http://alameda.dontthinkknow.org/, or by phone at (510) 268-2110.

Health educators are also available to provide information about STD risk factors, symptoms, and where to find treatment in Alameda County. Alameda County Public Health Department operates and manages numerous programs designed to protect the health and well-being of all Alameda County residents. To learn more about Public Health and the work we do, please visit www.acphd.org.