Action Tips: Get Tested!

Left untreated, some STDs can cause infertility or increase your risk of cancer. You can't always tell if someone has an STD just by appearance; the only way to know whether you have an STD is to get tested. So encourage friends and others to join the trend and get tested.

• To find a testing center, enter your zipcode in the testing center locator at www.GYTNOW.org or text your zip code to GYTNOW (498669) on your cell phone. You will get a text message back with information about the nearest testing center to you.
• There is no single test that can check for all STDs. Depending on your age, sex, and history, you could take any number of different tests. Some may require a blood sample, a urine sample, or a physical exam. When you go, make sure you ask which tests you will be doing.
• Usually, details of your visit will be kept confidential. If you are paying with health insurance, however, make sure you think about who has access to that information. For people under 18, you can go to a facility where they will promise not to tell your parents about the tests. Call ahead to find out about privacy policies.
• Cost varies depending on where you go for your test. Some are free and other will change their price based on what you can afford. Many of these facilities accept health insurance.
• If you test positive for an STD there’s no need to freak out. Many are treatable and most are curable. Make sure you contact any sexual partners and let them know your results so they can get tested too. That way, disease won’t spread to others.