Valuing Your Sexual Health: Information about STIs
You can get tested for the following STIs at Health Service. Remember, different symptoms, if any, may appear in men and women. It is important for both partners to be tested so that one partner does not re-infect the other.

• Chlamydia
• Gonorrhea (GC)
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Herpes
• HIV/AIDS
• Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), Genital Warts
• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID; women only)
• Syphilis
• Urethritis

Testing at Tufts Health Service
This pamphlet is an introduction to the services available at Tufts University Health Service (TUHS).

Many students have questions about getting tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs – we now prefer this term over the older "STD" terminology).

STIs are bacteria, viruses, and microorganisms that are transmitted through unprotected vaginal, oral, and anal sex from an infected partner or through the use of infected sex toys. Condoms with water-based lubricants should always be used during sexual activity for protection against STIs and pregnancy. Using an unlubricated condom or oil-based lubrication increases the risk of the condom breaking during anal or vaginal intercourse.

You can get latex condoms, oral dams, and polyurethane female condoms and lubrication free from Health Service. Many STIs, when caught early, can be treated with antibiotics or other medications. Prevention is always preferable to getting an STI!

Confidentiality
Any testing done at TUHS is confidential. That means that your test results are released only to you, and can only be sent to another medical provider with your written permission. The results are not given to your partners, your parents, or the administration.

However, the testing is not anonymous. Your name is on the lab requisition, and the result is placed in your medical record with your name on it. Your insurance company (depending on which insurance you have) may be billed for the cost of the tests.

Some people prefer to have anonymous testing – particularly for HIV. However, there is less stigma associated with STI testing now than there used to be, so anonymous testing is less used, and less available. We are not able to offer anonymous testing at TUHS. However, there are several anonymous testing sites in Boston. You can find up-to-date information on them through the AIDS Action Committee Hotline listed at the end of this brochure.

Costs & Insurance Issues
The costs for STI testing can be divided into two categories:

1. Professional Services: These are the services of the clinician who meets with you to discuss your specific situation and helps you decide what tests to do. You are entitled to these services because of the health fee you pay each year – there is no additional charge for STI counseling.
2. Costs of Tests: Let's face it, STI testing is expensive! We keep the prices as low as we can, but it is not cheap! The exact costs will depend on which tests you and your clinician decide are appropriate for you. See box for a list of testing costs.

Many insurances will either cover or reimburse for STI testing. The Tufts Student Health Insurance does cover STI testing, and our lab is able to bill the Student Insurance company directly. Students with private health insurance will need to check with their insurance company to see if they will reimburse for STI testing. For students with private insurance, the costs of STI tests are charged to your bursar bill with the notation: "Health Service Charge."

No specific information is ever attached to the bursar bill. Additionally, a medical bill that can be sent to insurance companies for reimbursement is mailed directly to the student. The medical bill has more specific information on it. Some students decide to pay for the cost of testing themselves so that nothing appears on their bursar bill – this can be done at the time the tests are ordered.

What Will You Be Tested For?
As you can see from the list of tests and costs, there are quite a number of things that can be tested for! Students make an appointment to meet with a clinician and discuss their individual risk factors, history, and health needs. Together, the clinician and the student decide what tests should be ordered. Depending on a student's individual risk profile, their clinician's recommendations, and insurance coverage issues, a student might decide on just one or two test, or on many tests. Most commonly ordered are Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and HIV tests.

When having STI testing, the most important thing to remember is that the most common STIs cannot be tested for unless you have symptoms! Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Herpes are the two most common STIs. Hundreds of millions of young adults are infected with each, but have no signs or symptoms. There is no test that can detect HPV if you have no symptoms - you only know you are infected when you develop warts or have an abnormal pap smear. Herpes tests are still limited and infrequently performed, many people with Herpes are totally unaware they are infected. So someone who has had STI testing is not "clean!" They and their partners still need to practice safer sex. Unfortunately, even careful use of barriers for intercourse, anal sex, and oral sex all of the time cannot guarantee protection against HPV or Herpes! These viruses can live throughout the genital skin area - and not just in the vagina or on the penis.

Internet/Hotline/HIV Testing Resources

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