Gain knowledge and power by getting tested for STIs
Knowing you and your partner’s sexual history is commonly overlooked before committing to having sex.
Imagine being in the midst of a new relationship and deciding to take the next big step. Can you guarantee you will not contract an STI? No one can. Yet there’s a comfort and a power that comes with the knowledge gained about you and your partner’s sexual health status. The only way to know for sure is to talk to your partner and get tested.
Cortney Thomas
The Get Yourself Tested (GYT) campaign, put on by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), encourages young adults to get talking and get tested. At Vandal Health Ed, we want to make sure our peers have all the information they need to take care of their health.
A sexually transmitted infection (STI) is contracted through intimate contact with someone who currently has an infection and is spread through bodily fluids including semen, blood, vaginal fluid and even breast milk.
In some cases, direct skin-to-skin contact is another method. Symptoms of STIs can be presented as a rash, warts, discharge, painful urination/sex, itching or a strong vaginal odor. Yet a majority of STIs are asymptomatic — present without symptoms — but once tested for, may be treated and even cured.
According to the CDC, 20 million new cases of STIs are reported each year, with half of these cases occurring between the ages of 15-25 years old. In addition, the World Health Organization reports a staggering 1 million people acquire an STI every day.
When committing to having sex with your partner, implementing an action plan is vital. The first action step is to get tested to rule out an STI, and if diagnosed, obtain the proper treatment. Honest and open communication with your healthcare provider is important, because STI testing can only be done after you speak up and ask.
Now, the good news — if caught early, a majority of STIs can be treated and cured. Unlike other common medical tests, STIs cannot be massively tested to determine the culprit.
Instead, STI tests are dependent on a mutual decision between you and your healthcare provider. Getting HIV tested is highly recommended for individuals over the age of 13, as it can be treated. STI tests are simple, don’t require much time and are fairly pain free.
If choosing to be sexually active, getting tested for STIs can be done at the Student Health Clinic located on Main Street in the building next to the fire station.
The clinic is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday and appointments can be made over the phone. Other places in the Moscow-Pullman community include Planned Parenthood in Pullman, WISH Medical, Public Health Department and the Community Health Association of Spokane clinic. Seeing a primary healthcare provider in your hometown is another option.
Condoms are an effective barrier when used correctly prior to “sexy time.” Other effective barriers include the female condom and dental dam. Get talking and get tested.
Cortney Thomas is a peer health educator at Vandal Health Ed.She can be reached at [email protected]