TABLE OF CONTENTS
South Charlotte Clinic
Carolinas Medical Center - Biddle Point
Myers Park Infectious Disease Clinic
ID Consultants
Low-Cost Clinic
Queen City Needle Exchange
WalgreensTesting Site
Southeast Campus Clinic
Northwest Campus
Infectious Disease Specialists
Infectious Disease Specialists
Charlotte Health Center
The three most common STDs in Charlotte are chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. While syphilis cases went down between 2017 and 2018, residents disclosed higher rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea during this time period.
Nationwide, the United States saw 1.8 million chlamydia diagnoses in 2018, a 19% increase over the number disclosed in 2014, making it the most common STD in the nation. Mecklenburg County ranked 31st in the country for documented cases, with 9,182 reports that year. This corresponds to a rate of 852.7 per 100,000 people, notably higher than the national frequency of 539.9. In the Charlotte region, the CDC found 16,983 disclosed cases in 2018, a 7% increase over the number reported in 2017, and a 44% increase over 2014’s documented cases.
While the United States had considerably fewer gonorrhea infections than chlamydia in 2018, it experienced a more significant percentage increase over the number of cases disclosed in 2014. The CDC showed that there were 583,405 cases in 2018, a 63% increase over the number reported four years prior. In the Charlotte region, health experts witnessed a similar trend. Between 2018 and 2014, chlamydia cases went up by 58%, going from 3,645 reports to 5,762. This STD was slightly more common in males than in females, with males making up about 55% of cases.
Syphilis cases increased by 81% nationwide between 2014 and 2018. Of the infections disclosed in 2018, 30% were in primary and secondary stages. In North Carolina, 10.7 out of every 100,000 residents were diagnosed with P&S syphilis in 2018, which was on par with the national rate of 10.8. In the Charlotte region, there were 333 disclosed cases of P&S syphilis in 2018. While this was a slight decrease over the number documented in 2017, it was 51% over the number of infections reported by the CDC in 2014. Men were disproportionately affected by syphilis, both on the national level and in Charlotte. Of the 333 cases in the region, 290 were diagnosed in males. Males aged 25-29 were more likely to contract syphilis. Among this demographic, P&S syphilis was reported at a frequency of 63 cases per 100,000 males.
While most people, particularly females, who have an STD don’t experience noticeable symptoms, untreated STDs can have serious, life-long impacts on health. Over time, even STDs that are easily curable with treatment can cause blindness, bone deformities, cancer, brain damage, heart disease, and even death. Early and rapid diagnosis of STDs decreases the chances of these risks. There are many kinds of STDs, and treatment plans vary. The Charlotte region is home to many clinics that provide free STD testing, treatment, and counseling, making it easy for sexually active residents to take control of their health.
Reserve Health is a low-cost clinic that provides private, confidential STD testing for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. In addition to STD testing and treatment, it provides PrEP for HIV prevention, medication-assisted treatment for chemical dependencies, urgent services for illnesses and injuries, and preventative care. The clinic welcomes uninsured patients and can help self-pay patients choose a payment program that fits their budget. Appointments are required for treatment and can be made over the phone or by accessing the Self Schedule portal on the clinic’s website.
135 West 10th Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
704-626-3994
Reservehealth.com
RAO Community Health is a nonprofit organization that provides healthcare services to underserved populations, especially the LGBTQ+ community, in the Charlotte region. It offers HIV/STD risk reduction education and can help clients connect with a clinic that provides PrEP treatment to reduce the risk of contracting HIV. Clients can also receive testing for common STDs, such as chlamydia, herpes, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Along with STD testing and education services, the organization operates a toiletry pantry, a Housing Deposit Assistance program for those with HIV/AIDS, and a computer lab with internet access. To schedule an appointment for services, clients should call the clinic.
321 West 11th Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
704-237-8793
Raoassist.org
The Mecklenburg County Health Department provides free and confidential STD testing to all patients. All testing is provided on a walk-in basis for those who don’t have symptoms, and services are provided first come/first serve. Those who have STD symptoms must make an appointment by calling the health department. Walk-in patients are advised to arrive at the start of testing hours for more prompt service. Results are available seven days after testing and can be received by calling the clinic, visiting www.mytestresults.com, visiting the clinic, or returning to the community-based testing site.
249 Billingsley Road
Charlotte, NC 28211
704-336-4700
Multiple Charlotte locations
Mecknc.gov
Charlotte Health Center is operated by Planned Parenthood South Atlantic. It offers a full array of healthcare services for men and women, including preventative services, access to birth control, LGBT services, and STD testing and treatment. STDs that patients can be tested for include herpes, HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Tests are conducted via blood draws, urine samples, or oral swabs, and results are available within a few days to a few weeks, depending on the test. Appointments are required and can be made by calling the clinic or requesting a call via the website’s online form.
700 South Torrence Street
Charlotte, NC 28204
704-536-7233
Plannedparenthood.org
C.W. Williams Community Health Center is a nonprofit organization that provides health care services to Charlotte area residents, including testing for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. The clinic accepts most major health insurance policies and has a sliding fee scale for self-pay clients based on household size and income. In addition to STD testing and treatment, the clinic offers on-site pharmacy services, health and wellness appointments, therapy for mental health and substance use disorders, mammography, and allergy testing and shots. Appointments are required and can be made over the phone or by accessing the clinic’s online booking tool.
3333 Wilkinson Boulevard
Charlotte, NC 28208
704-393-7720
Cwwilliams.org