While learning about healthy sexuality may start with learning the basics about sex and sexual health, it should also include getting informed about your own status: by getting tested.
Half of all sexually active people will get an STI by the age of 25, and nearly half of all pregnancies are unplanned. And even though many STIs are treatable (or even curable) if caught early on, most people with an STI don't have any symptoms at all, which means the infections can become more serious and can continue to spread to new partners.
If you're having sex, a key part of staying healthy is to GYT - Get Yourself Tested.
How do I know if I should be tested for STIs and HIV?
STI and HIV testing might be appropriate for several different reasons:
- Are you currently experiencing symptoms that you’re worried might be related to an STI or HIV?
- If you’re experiencing any symptoms of concern – for example, discomfort with urination, penile or vaginal discharge, or swollen lymph nodes – STI and HIV testing can be ordered during a medical visit with a clinician, who can perform an exam and consider whether other testing (and treatment) might be appropriate as well.
- Schedule a medical visit
- Are you interested in routine testing, even though you’re not experiencing any symptoms?
- Great! Regular STI and HIV testing are recommended as a critical part of overall sexual health care. Remember that many STIs can be present without any symptoms at all, which is why getting tested on a regular basis (and talking to your partners about whether and when they’ve been tested!) is so important.
- Read CDC guidelines for routine STI screenings
- Schedule a medical visit
- Self-Directed STI Testing at UHS
- Are you worried about a recent exposure (in the past week), like a broken condom, or have you recently been the victim of a sexual assault?
- Please call the Advice Line immediately at (510) 643-7197, as special testing or treatment might be needed. Click here for other After Hours services.
Can I be tested for “everything?"
Many students ask about “the STI test,” assuming there is one test that covers all STIs. Not true!
Since the term “sexually transmitted infections” actually refers to many individual types of infections, infection-specific tests are needed to detect each individual type of sexually transmitted infection. (In other words, a chlamydia test will not detect HIV, nor will a Pap test detect herpes.)
If you’re not sure which STIs you should consider getting tested for, you can ask to speak with one of our Advice Nurses or schedule a medical visit with a clinician to talk about your specific sexual history and risk factors, to decide which tests might be appropriate.
There are also several online tools to help you determine which STI tests might be appropriate for you:
STI Testing at UHS
Current students can access STI testing at UHS in several different ways:
- During a medical visit
- If you wish to discuss, or if your clinician feels testing for certain STIs might be appropriate depending on the reason for your visit, testing for most common STIs and HIV can be ordered at that time.
- Schedule a medical visit
- Rapid HIV testing
- Free rapid HIV antibody testing is available on a monthly basis.
- Rapid HIV testing is meant for low-risk people and may not be the right choice for you if you’re concerned about a high-risk exposure in the past 3-6 months.
- More information about rapid HIV testing, including testing dates
- Self-directed STI testing
- You can now request testing for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV for yourself - without a medical visit - through the eTang portal.
- Self-directed testing does not test for all STIs, and may not be right for everyone, depending on your sexual practices.
- Self-directed testing is meant for screening purposes only. If you’re experiencing symptoms that you’re worried might be due to a sexually transmitted infection, or if you think that you’ve recently been exposed to an STI, please call our Advice Nurse or schedule a medical visit.
- More information about self-directed STI testing
- Home HIV testing
- Home HIV tests are now available at the UHS Pharmacy. Home HIV testing is meant for screening purposes only, and might not be appropriate for you and your sex practices - particularly if you’re concerned about a high-risk exposure in the past 3-6 months.
- More information about home HIV testing
Pregnancy Testing at UHS
Current students can currently access pregnancy testing at UHS in several different ways:
- During a medical visit
- If you express concern about pregnancy risk during your medical appointment, or if your clinician feels pregnancy testing might be appropriate based on the reason for your visit, pregnancy testing (urine or blood) can be ordered at that time.
- Schedule a medical visit
- Self-directed pregnancy testing
- You can now request a pregnancy test for yourself – without a medical visit – through the eTang portal.
- More information about Self-Directed Pregnancy Testing
- Home pregnancy tests
- Home urine pregnancy tests are currently available over-the-counter at the UHS Pharmacy, as well as most local pharmacies.
- Remember! For most women, the pregnancy test will not become positive until approximately 2 weeks from the time of suspected conception.
- More information about pregnancy testing
