TABLE OF CONTENTS
Southside Medical Center
Northside Medical Center
Greater Fulton Medical Center
Southside Medical Center
Glenwood Medical and Dental Center
Greater Fulton Medical Center
Northside Medical Center
Glenwood Medical and Dental Center
Bermuda Medical Center
Bermuda Medical Center
Cowardin Clinic
Cowardin Clinic
Henrico Clinic
Henrico Clinic
West Grace Health Center
West Grace Health Center
Southside Health Center
Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic
Gilpin Community Center
Mosby Resource Center
Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic
Fairfield Resource Center
Gilpin Community Center
Mosby Resource Center
Whitcomb Resource Center
Fairfield Resource Center
Creighton Resource Center
Hillside Resource Center
Broad Rock Community Center
Mayland Medical Center
Mayland Medical Center
Henrico County Health Department
Henrico County Health Department
Henrico County Health Department
Henrico County Health Department
East End Health Center
Richmond Health Center
Richmond Health Center
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention records sexually-transmitted disease statistics for the nation and includes a breakdown of some STDs by metropolitan area. The Richmond area follows the state trends with regard to these three STDs, with reports of chlamydia and syphilis increasing from 2017 to 2018 while reports of gonorrhea decreased.
The total number of chlamydia cases recorded by the CDC in 2018 for the Richmond metro area was 8,845. That’s up by close to 300 cases from the previous year. From 2016 to 2017, chlamydia infections in the area actually decreased slightly after a rather large jump from 2015 to 2016.
The Commonwealth of Virginia, as a whole, documented 43,695 cases of chlamydia in 2018, with the bulk of incidents related to younger individuals. More than 11,000 chlamydia diagnoses were linked to adolescents age 15 to 19, for example. And more than 17,000 documented cases were for patients aged 20-24.
The CDC’s number for gonorrhea cases in the Richmond area in 2018 is 2,977. That’s down from a reported figure of 3,200 the year before. Prior to that slight decrease, however, gonorrhea cases in the area had trended up since 2014, with a major jump of almost 1,000 new cases between 2015 and 2016.
Overall, that parallels the total figures for the Commonwealth. Total cases for the state jumped by just over 2,000 from 2015 to 2016, which means half of the increase was seen in the Richmond area alone. In fact, the Richmond metro area accounted for roughly a quarter of all new Virginia gonorrhea diagnoses in 2018.
As with chlamydia, gonorrhea is much more likely to be diagnosed in a younger person than an older one. The majority of cases are found in people aged 15 to 34.
The CDC lumps primary and secondary syphilis cases together when reporting for metropolitan areas. In 2018, it documented 210 cases in the Richmond area — a small number, but a stark increase from 2017, when the number was only 124 cases. Unlike gonorrhea or chlamydia figures, syphilis case numbers rose annually from 2014 to 2018 for Richmond.
That trend is true for the Commonwealth as a whole as well. Numbers jumped from 568 in 2014 to 892 in 2015. By 2018, documented early syphilis diagnoses by the Virginia Department of Health totaled 1,325. While older adults make up a relatively low incidence of syphilis diagnoses in the Commonwealth, this STD is much more spread out among age groups than gonorrhea or chlamydia.
You can have an STD and experience very little in the way of discomfort or symptoms. Or, you can have major symptoms that lead you to seek treatment right away. Either way, the long-term health risks associated with STDs can be severe. Getting tested regularly if you’re sexually active is one of the best ways to understand what your health risks might be so you can protect your body and future proactively. Residents near Richmond, VA, have access to several low-cost or free clinics that provide sexual health services.
The Richmond City Health District includes a number of clinics and locations where residents may seek free or low-cost health care and testing. The clinic on Cary Street specifically offers STI and HIV screening as well as immunizations and screening and treatment for other health issues, such as high blood pressure or diabetes. The clinic is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with an hour closed for lunch between noon and 1 p.m. On the fourth Friday of a month, the clinic is closed after the lunch hour, and in any month with a fifth Friday, the clinic is closed all day for training.
400 East Cary Street
Richmond, VA 23219
(804) 482-5500
Website
The office for Minority Health Consortium is open on most weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The group offers free testing for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV as well as STI counseling to assist people newly diagnosed with or facing these diseases. The free testing may be offered through specific clinics, including the HELP Drop-In clinic, which sometimes takes place in the evening or at night to accommodate people who can’t access services during the day. You can access services via walk-up during those types of clinics or by appointment. Call the organization if you’re not sure if services are being offered at the exact time you want to seek them.
208 East Clay Street, Suite B
Richmond, VA 23219
(804) 225-0820
Website
The foundation works to make HIV and STD testing more available to the LGBTQIA+ community. It also provides HIV services and counseling. Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis testing is free Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The foundation also offers other services, including a food pantry, computer lab, and peer group support for HIV patients.
4794 Finlay Street, Suite1
Richmond VA 23231
(804) 716-7597
Website
Health Brigade provides a variety of clinical services, including primary care. It takes insurance but also offers a sliding scale for fees and free services, including HIV and STD testing for gonorrhea and chlamydia. HIV test results are disclosed the same day; it can take a week to get other results. A needle exchange program and condom distribution are also among the services offered by this organization.
1010 North Thompson Street
Richmond VA 23230
(804) 358-6343 ext. 1102
Website
This location also offers a variety of health services. It accepts insurance but also ensures everyone receives care despite their ability to pay. STD testing services include herpes, gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, trich, BV, HIV, and genital warts. Condoms are provided as well as the HPV vaccine. You can make an appointment on the website.
201 North Hamilton Street
Richmond, VA 23221
(804) 355-4358
Website
This service provides full care for HIV patients, including rapid, confidential testing. You can access testing whether or not you’re a patient of this organization. Testing is offered during business hours between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., and the organization sometimes runs clinics for after-hours testing.
108 Cowardin Avenue
Richmond, VA 23224
(804) 655-2794
Website