SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Valentine’s Day is approaching, and the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) is encouraging those who are sexually active to talk to their healthcare provider and partners about sexual health, and test regularly for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV.
More than 2.5 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were reported in the United States in 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Regular STI and HIV testing helps prevent the spread of infection and promotes sexual wellness.
“Anyone who has sex can get an STI, and not everyone shows symptoms. The good news is that STIs are preventable and treatable. Valentine’s Day is a great reminder for individuals to discuss their sexual health with their healthcare provider and partners,” said Dr. Stephanie Cohen, Director of the HIV and STI Prevention and Control Section for SFDPH. “If you, or people you are intimate with have not tested for STIs, please do so. The earlier infections are detected and treated, the better.”
Additional steps towards protecting sexual health include:
- Getting vaccinated to help prevent Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Human Papillomavirus (HPV), meningitis, and mpox infections.
- Asking your provider about HIV PrEP and doxy-PEP.
- HIV PrEP is a highly effective HIV prevention method that can be used to reduce the risk of getting HIV through sex or sharing needles. PrEP is for people of all genders. There are now multiple options for HIV PrEP, including a daily pill, a pill taken around the time of sex, and an injectable medication taken once every 2 months.
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- Doxy-PEP is an antibiotic that when taken after sex reduces your chance of acquiring syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia by about two-thirds. In San Francisco, doxy-PEP is recommended for cis men and trans women who have had a bacterial STI in the past year and have had condomless anal or oral sexual contact with at least one cis male or trans female partner in the past year.
- Correctly using barrier protection such as condoms.
- Getting treated. Leaving STIs untreated can lead to serious health complications such as infertility, and increases the chances of transmitting or getting HIV.
Resources for the Community
For those who do not have insurance or are having difficulty accessing care, there are resources available. SFDPH’s SF City Clinic (SFCC) is a nationally recognized center of excellence in sexual health services. SFCC offers comprehensive, integrated sexual and reproductive health care, including STI, HIV, and HCV testing, diagnosis, and treatment. Visit sfcityclinic.org to learn more.
SFDPH has also collaborated with community partners to open Health Access Points (HAPs) that focus on priority populations, including youth, gay/bi/queer men and other men who have sex with men, and people experiencing homelessness. The goal of the HAPs is to provide equity-focused, stigma-free, and low barrier access to STI, HIV, and HCV prevention, care, and treatment services, as well as harm reduction and overdose prevention services.
“We want to make sure that our diverse communities, especially those disproportionately impacted by HIV, HCV, and STIs, have access to the care they need, and the HAPs will help accomplish that,” said Nyisha Underwood, Acting Co-Director of the Community Health Equity and Promotion Branch for SFDPH. “If you need to access sexual health and other wrap-around resources in a welcoming, stigma-free environment, the HAPs are here for you.”
At-home STI testing is also an option. SFDPH has partnered with Take Me Home and Don’t Think Know to provide free and confidential testing kits. You can order the kits by visiting dontthinkknow.org and takemehome.org.
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