Approximately 1 in 4 college students currently has a sexually transmitted infection (STI). (Washington and Lee University) With 1 in 2 sexually active individuals obtaining an STI before the age of 25 (Planned Parenthood), Getting Yourself Tested is crucial to one’s health. College students are an at-risk group for STIs, and what better and easier way to get yourself tested than at the Barnes Center at The Arch with the free Get Yourself Tested STI Clinics!? Knowing your STI status will ensure that you are “Peelin’” good, and with these easy steps you will be getting yourself tested in no time!
The Importance of Getting Tested
As an individual, it is important to take control of your health and always make sure you are the healthiest you can be. Many STIs are asymptomatic; you don’t feel it, but you can definitely transmit it. And though you may not feel it, it can still have a very harmful, sometimes long-lasting/permanent, effect on your body, especially when left untreated. So hey, it is never a bad idea to get tested!
The amazing staff at the Barnes Center recommend receiving an STI test after engaging in unprotected sex; this includes oral, vaginal, and/or anal. If you are sexually active and have multiple partners, it is recommended to test yourself every 3 to 6 months even.
The How and Where of Getting Tested
The STI Testing process is totally simple, quick, and discreet; and if this was a worry before, trust us, you do not have to worry any longer!
- Set up an appointment at Barnes Center at The Arch; you can do this through the Patient Portal.
- When getting to your appointment at the health clinic on the second floor, sign in electronically, or let the front desk know you’re there for an appointment.
- Once in the exam room, the health professional will ask a few questions about your sexual history from the past six months. Don’t worry, this simply helps to identify risk and what type of testing is needed, allowing the professional to give the best care possible. Your answers will remain completely confidential and judgement free!
- Depending on the type of sex you’re having, there are three different test types:
- Urine sample
- Blood test (finger prick)
- Swabs (throat and/or rectal)
- You will receive your results within a week. When ready, you will be sent an email stating that you’ve received a secure message on the Patient Portal or you will get a call describing positive results and treatment options.
Getting yourself tested not only helps you to manage your health, but also protects your current or future partner(s). If you test positive for an STI, there are treatment options to help you manage the infection and ensure you do not spread it to others.
There are some common barriers that keep people from getting tested. For example, students may worry that their parents can see they are being tested or even see their results. If tested at one of our GYT days throughout the semester, results appear only in the Patient Portal. You can confirm that you have not shared access to this portal with anyone through MySlice.
For testing outside of GYT days, the question of whether or not your parents will find out is dependent on your insurance. Those with Syracuse University’s Student Health Insurance Plan have plans under their own names, and therefore parents cannot see their information. For others, different insurers have different policies. Call your insurance company and ask about it!
In addition to confidentiality concerns, students may be worried about paying for STI tests. At GYT events, testing is free for students regardless of whether they use the school insurance plan or a private insurance. So, whether a GYT day or a standard appointment at the Barnes Center is a better fit for you, get tested if you are sexually active. You can always make an appointment on the Patient Portal.
In the meantime, use protection, and communicate with your partner(s). If you need supplies to practice safe sex, check out the Safer Sex Express, a free service offered on campus where condoms, lube, dental dams, and other supplies can be picked up or delivered discreetly to you!
Written by Barnes Center Peer Educators Lisa Espinosa ’23 and Kinley Gaudette ’23