San Mateo County health officials announced the launch of a pilot program Wednesday that is making free STD testing kits available to young women in the Bay Area.
The "I Know SF Bay" campaign, which was launched in April, is an effort by San Mateo, San Francisco, Alameda and Contra Costa counties, in partnership with the nonprofit research institute RTI International, to assess the feasibility of an STD self-screening program.
The kits are available to eligible women between the ages of 18 and 30 in those counties, who can apply for a kit by visiting www.iknowsfbay.org. Participants in the pilot can conduct the test at home, get results online and receive confidential treatment at a local Bay Area pharmacy, according to the San Mateo County Health System.
Find out what's happening in Foster Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Dr. Vivian Levy, the county's STD Control Officer said that chlamydia in the county in recent years. Although chlamydia and many other STDs are treatable, women may not realize they are carrying the diseases, which often display no symptoms.
"Home testing could prevent complications of untreated STDs among young women, such as pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility," Levy said in a statement issued Wednesday.
Find out what's happening in Foster Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Women 25 years old and younger are encouraged to have an annual STD screening, and county officials are hoping these self-screening kits will help more women detect and treat infections before developing serious complications.
According to the program's website, the demonstration project will run through September and anticipates enrolling approximately 1,000 women from the Bay Area in the study. Part of the study involves the completion of a survey designed to gain feedback about the Internet-based testing service and the self-collection of vaginal samples used to test for chlamydia, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis.
There is no cost for women to participate in the study, which can provide referrals to free or low-cost clinics for treatment in the event of positive results. Treatment costs, however, are not included in the study.
- Bay City News
For more news about Foster City and surrounding areas, and "like" us on Facebook. Sign up for our daily newsletter here.
Want to blog for us? Click here.
