February 17, 2023
Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition/Unsplash
The Delaware County Health Department has launched a mail-order condom service as part of the county's efforts to slow the spread of STIs and reduce the risk of disease among the population.
Sexually transmitted infections are very common, with more than half of Americans experiencing one in their lifetime. In an effort to slow the spread of STIs across the region, the Delaware County Health Department is now allowing residents to order condoms directly to their door at no personal cost.
The condom distribution program, Doing Delco Safely, was launched on Tuesday as part of National Condom Week, which was organized to raise awareness about safe sex practices. The program allows residents to order up to 10 free condoms each day, delivered to their home in discreet packaging.
Delco residents can sign up for free delivery using an online form that allows people to choose from five condom options. It requires a full name, date of birth, street address and email address. For those who would rather not provide their home addresses on the website, free condoms can be picked up in person at the Delaware County Wellness Centers in Chester and Yeadon.
"Sexually transmitted infections increased in Delaware County and across the United States during the pandemic over the last few years," said Delaware County Health Director Melissa Lyons. "The Doing Delco Safely condom distribution program gives residents additional access to protection for themselves and their partners."
The condom distribution program is just one way that Delaware County is ramping up efforts to reduce the prevalence of STIs in the region, but mail-order condom programs are not new.
Doing Delco Safely is modeled in part on Take Control Philly, a similar sexual health awareness initiative launched by city health officials in 2018. Philly's condom distribution program, designed for younger residents, allows anyone ages 13 to 19 to order free condoms to their door in discreet packaging.
The most common STI impacting Delco residents is chlamydia, followed by gonorrhea, according to health department officials. Though rates have remained steady over the last several years, Delco saw a 6% increase in chlamydia in 2022 compared to 2021.
Chlamydia is a bacterial infection that is typically asymptomatic for the few few weeks after transmission. Symptoms include pain in the lower abdomen and while urinating, abnormal vaginal discharge, pain during sex and bleeding between periods, according to Mayo Clinic.
Symptoms of gonorrhea, also a bacterial infection, may appear within 10 days of transmission. The infection has similar symptoms to chlamydia, though individuals with gonorrhea may also experience frequent, painful bowel movements as well as anal itching. Men may also notice testicular swelling.
There was been a 14% decrease in reported cases of gonorrhea across Delaware County between 2020 and 2021, according to health officials.
Although rates of syphilis across Delaware County are lower than the rates of other STIs, the area's syphilis rate is at a 20-year high, according to the Pennsylvania Health Advisory Network. The rate of infection increased by 104% between 2020 and 2021, WHYY reported.
In particular, women of child-bearing age have seen an increase in syphilis both in Delaware County and across the state. If pregnant, they can pass the disease onto their babies. The rates of babies born with syphilis in Pennsylvania is at its highest level in 32 years, state officials said in December.
In 2021, Delco's syphilis infection rate prompted the Pennsylvania's Department of Health to issue a health advisory for the county, urging doctors to test pregnant women for syphilis during their first prenatal visit and anyone who has previously tested positive for gonorrhea or chlamydia.
Symptoms of syphilis in adults change depending on the stage of the disease, but individuals who have been infected may develop painless, open sores in their mouths, on their genitals or on their anus — typically at the place where the disease entered the body. If left untreated, people can develop rashes, a fever, swollen glands, lesions and fatigue.
Using condoms is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of contracting STDs and STIs, Lyons said. Residents who believe they may have been exposed to STIs — including HIV — can head over to either of Delaware County's Wellness Centers for free STI testing.
Residents in need of testing can visit 151 W. Fifth St. in Chester on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., or go to 125 Chester Ave. in Yeadon from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays. Appointments are not required during these walk-in hours, but patients can schedule them by calling (484) 276-2100.
