What to Know About STD Testing at Home
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The CDC recommends that sexually active men and women get STD testing every year. This holds true even if you don't feel sick, as many people who have an STD are asymptomatic but can still spread the disease or develop symptoms at a later date. Additionally, pregnant women and those with risk factors may need additional testing. [1] You can have the testing done at a medical center or purchase an at-home STD test. There are pros and cons to each option, and understanding them can help you pick the best course of action. Regular testing not only protects your own health but also helps reduce the spread of infections within the community. Being proactive about screening allows for early treatment, which can prevent complications and long-term health issues.
Benefits of At-Home STD Tests
STD testing at home is easy and convenient. You don't have to change your schedule to see a medical provider. You also don't have to worry about getting health insurance or finding out if your insurance will cover an STD test. Rather, you can purchase a test kit, take the test at home when you have time, and mail it in to find out your results. You'll get comprehensive results as at-home STD kits can test for chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis, HPV, Hepatitis C in women, and Herpes.[2]
Effectiveness of At-Home STD Tests
At-home STD tests are as effective as those done at a laboratory, but only if you follow the testing instructions properly. If you make a mistake when doing the test at home, you may wind up with either a false positive or a false negative.[3] Getting a false positive can cause undue stress and additional expenses as you'll likely make an appointment with a medical provider to verify the test results and get treatment.
In many cases, getting a false negative is even worse than getting a false positive. Your infection could worsen because of a lack of treatment. This could lead to serious health problems in some cases. At the same time, you could spread the STD to others as you'd be unaware that you're infected until you take a test or get a medical exam at a later date.
Are They Regulated?
Doctors, hospitals, and clinics are all required to follow stringent regulations to protect personal patient information. However, kits used for STD testing at home aren't well-regulated. There are only two FDA-approved test kits for HIV. [4] The FDA only issued approval for an over-the-counter at-home test for STDs other than HIV in November 2023. [5] This means that quality levels may vary for most STD kits, and you have no way of verifying if they'll work as advertised.
HIPAA and STD Tests
The lab processing your test results won't knowingly share your medical information with third parties without your permission. Rather, it will contact you discreetly and offer medical recommendations if you've tested positive for one or more STDs. Once you pursue treatment with a medical care provider, the details of your treatment will remain confidential as medical centers are required to adhere to HIPAA regulations. However, e-commerce platforms such as Amazon that sell STD testing aren't bound by HIPAA rules. Anyone can see your purchase history and find out that you've purchased an STD testing kit. If the main reason you want to use an at-home kit is to avoid the embarrassment of people knowing that you might have an STD, you'll likely be better off seeing a doctor at a clinic.
Free STD/STI Testing vs At-Home
If you are sexually active or are experiencing STD symptoms such as painful urination, vaginal discharge, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue, you'll want to get an STD test as quickly as possible. It's also very important to get an STD test if you've found out you're pregnant because an undiagnosed STD can cause serious health problems for a newborn. These include premature birth, low birth weight, organ damage, and acute infections.[5]. Even women who are planning to have an abortion will need STI testing, as an undiagnosed infection puts one at risk of developing pelvic inflammatory disease, a condition that can cause infertility, chronic pelvic and abdominal pain, abscesses, and other health problems
Where you go to get testing can have a huge impact on your long-term health. An at-home test may not be as reliable as you'd expect. What's more, you'll only get the results of your test. You won't get the medical advice and assistance you need to recover from an STD and inform potential partners that they'll need to get tested to avoid passing an infection along to other people. You also won't get information on how to avoid getting an STI in the future. That's why it's best to see a medical professional for STD testing to ensure you get fast, accurate results and medical assistance tailored to meet your needs.
The good news is that STD testing doesn't have to be costly, even if you don't have insurance. In fact, you can get it for free at a Pregnancy Care Clinic. Results are processed at our lab or shipped overnight to another lab for fast results. If the results are positive, we'll provide you with a referral, so you can get the expert help you need to recover. Testing information and results are confidential. Since we do not charge for our services, not even your health insurance company will know that you're being tested at our clinic.
Caring for your physical health strengthens you physically, mentally, and emotionally. It takes time. You'll likely need to make changes to your schedule to prioritize your health. However, the good news is that you don't have to spend a lot of money to get needed medical care. Pregnancy Care Clinic offers free STI/STD testing, free pregnancy testing, a health provider consultation, medical referrals, and other services to help you maintain a high quality of life. If you or someone you know could benefit from our services, feel free to call and schedule an appointment, or simply walk into one of our clinics.
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Sources
1. (2024, April 9) Getting Tested for STIs. CDC. Accessed on June 20, 2024, from https://www.cdc.gov/sti/testing/index.html#:
2. Rosenfield, Leah (2024, April 21). At-Home STD Tests: How They Work. Sesame. Accessed June 20, 2024, from https://sesamecare.com/blog/at-home-std-tests-info
3. Mehta, Parang; What to Know about At-Home STD Tests, Web MD. Accessed June 20, 2024, from https://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/what-to-know-about-at-home-std-tests
4. McClurg, Lesley (2018, April 23) Home Testing Kit Will Check for Sexually Transmitted Diseases. NPR. Accessed June 20, 2024, from https://www.npr.org/2018/04/23/604854222/home-testing-kit-will-check-for-sexually-transmitted-diseases#
5. (2023, November 15). FDA Grants Marketing Authorization of First Test for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea with at-home Sample Collection, FDA. Accessed June 20, 2024, from www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-grants-marketing-authorization-first-test-chlamydia-and-gonorrhea-home-sample-collection
