Whether you’re heading off to college for the first time or going back for another year, the start of school is a good time to think about how to take care of yourself when you’re living on your own. As a young adult, being smart and responsible about your sexual health is one of the most important things you can do.
If you’re sexually active, getting tested for STDs is a basic part of staying healthy and taking control of your sex life. It is one of the most important things you can do to protect your health, and it’s easier than ever before.
Here’s some information on how to ace this test:
- Planned Parenthood provides STD testing at all of our health centers and we offer no- to low-cost services for young people, women, and men. You can reach out to your local Planned Parenthood health center for confidential testing.
- STD tests are quick, simple, and painless. For example: Rapid HIV tests can provide results in as little as 20 minutes from just a swab inside the mouth or a quick prick of your finger.
- You can’t tell by looking who has an STD. For example, 75 percent of women and 50 percent of men with chlamydia have no symptoms. Many STDs are asymptomatic, so the only way to know your status for sure is to get tested.
- The good news is that most STDs, including HIV, are treatable. Many are curable. The sooner you know your status, the sooner you can get treated. Early treatment can help prevent serious health problems that may result from untreated STDs.
- You can take care of yourself and your partner by talking about getting tested before you start having sex. Some conversations may seem hard to have, but open communication with your partner is essential to staying healthy and stopping the spread of STDs.
Now that you know some of the basics, head on over to your nearest Planned Parenthood health center and get yourself tested!
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