Portland, Maine - This month marks the sixth annual GYT: Get Yourself Tested campaign -- a national campaign designed to promote sexual health and address the disproportionately high rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) — including HIV, chlamydia, and gonorrhea — among young people under 25. The campaign is a collaborative effort of the American College Health Association (ACHA), the Kaiser Family Foundation, MTV, National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD), and Planned Parenthood Federation of America, with technical consultation provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Here in Portland, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England (PPNNE) and the City of Portland’s Public Health Division including the India Street Health Center are working together to raise awareness by making it easy for Portland adults in their twenties to get tested.
Half of the estimated 20 million sexually transmitted diseases contracted each year occur among the under-25 age group, although they only represent one quarter of the sexually active population. In fact, one in two sexually active young people in the U.S. will contract an STD by the time they’re 25 — and most won’t know it. These trends bear out in Maine with adults in their twenties comprising more than sixty percent of the diagnosed cases of chlamydia and more than half of the cases of gonorrhea last year.
“Getting tested is simply a basic part of staying healthy and taking control of your sex life — and it’s easier than ever before,” said Donna Burkett, Medical Director at Planned Parenthood of Northern New England.
“At Planned Parenthood of Northern New England we offer affordable STD testing, treatment, and sex education and information, to help ensure that young people stay healthy and safe.”
Getting tested is easy in Portland. People can call for a same day or next day appointment at the PPNNE health center in Portland (other health centers are open in Biddeford, Sanford and Topsham) at 1-800-230-7526 or visit the India Street Public Health Center for their STD walk-in hours, Tuesday and Thursday 3:00 PM to 5:45 PM. Both health centers offer affordable, accessible testing.
The GYT campaign’s efforts to promote discussion and testing of STDs among young people are making a difference. A new study published in the March 2014 issue of Sexually Transmitted Diseases found evidence that suggests that the GYT campaign has successfully increased STD testing among youth during STD Awareness Month.
From 2009 to 2010, the number of reported youth reached by GYT events nearly doubled, and from 2008 to 2010 there was a 71 percent increase in STD testing at reporting Planned Parenthood affiliates. In Maine, during that same time frame, PPNNE and the India Street Clinic administered more than 45,000 STD tests to patients, approximately 30,000 at PPNNE and 15,000 at India Street.
“The good news is that nearly all STDs, including HIV, are treatable and many are curable,” said Julie Sullivan, Public Health Director for the City of Portland, Health and Human Services Department. “The sooner you know your status, the sooner you can get treated and avoid serious health problems that can result from untreated STDs.”
The Maine Legislature can help with this effort by enacting LD 1247, which would ensure that low-income adults up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level have access to reproductive health care including testing and treatment of STDs. Last month, the bill was approved by both the House and Senate with strong bipartisan support. The bill is currently on the Appropriations table awaiting approval by the Committee to be followed by final enactment votes by the House and Senate.
For more information about GYT, visit http://www.itsyoursexlife.com/gyt/ and http://www.plannedparenthood.org/ppnne/.
About GYT
Responding to the fact that young people account for half of the 20 million new sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) occurring in the U.S. each year — and most don’t know they are infected — the GYT campaign is a youthful, empowering social movement to encourage young people to get tested and treated, as needed, for STDs, including HIV. GYT increases awareness about STDs and how to prevent them; links young people to STD testing services; and promotes a more open dialogue with partners and health care providers.
GYT encourages testing for STDs, including HIV, as recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and empowers young people to have an open dialogue about STDs.
GYT was launched in April 2009 as an ongoing promotion under It’s Your (Sex) Life, a longstanding public information partnership of MTV and the Kaiser Family Foundation. Supporting partners of GYT include: American College Health Association (ACHA), Kaiser Family Foundation, National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD), MTV and Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Technical consultation is provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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