You can get tested for HIV and other STIs in a number of ways. You can contact your own doctor and ask for the tests, or you can go to a health center or clinic in your community. Some health centers, clinics, and hospitals might offer specific times for HIV and STI testing. HIV clinics may also test for hepatitis B and syphilis but not for gonorrhea or chlamydia. Be sure to check which tests are available in which locations.
Different STIs need different tests. Some—like HIV, hepatitis B, and syphilis—require a simple blood test. Some—like gonorrhea and chlamydia—can be tested through your urine (but in some cases a swab of the infected area might be needed). Others, like crabs, may require a closer inspection of your body.
With some STIs, like HIV, you can get tested anonymously—meaning that you don’t have to give your real name. Some STIs, like gonorrhea, need to be reported to a public health agency. The rules for these may be different depending on where you live and where you go, so be sure to ask!
The time it takes to get results will vary depending on the test. If you just need to be inspected for crabs or scabies, the doctor or nurse can examine you and recommend treatment right away. Tests that have to be sent to a lab will take longer. The doctor, nurse, or other clinic staff will let you know how much time it will take. You may have to return at a later date to get the results or you might get the results by phone. In the case of HIV, usually people have to get their results in person. Getting your results in person means that you can ask questions and get more information.
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The Little Black Book For Guys: Guys Talk About Sex
Non-FictionA survival guide to being a guy. Lots of guys talk the big talk, but what's really going on with sex? That's what a group of young men sat down to figure out for The Little Black Book for Guys. To get behind the hype, they talked to other teens and...
