What personal information is commonly asked for during a STD test for teens?
You and your health care provider will decide what tests make the most sense for you based on information you provide about your sexual history. In most cases, your provider will first ask you questions about:
- your sexual practices (what kinds of sex you have, how many partners you’ve had in the past year, how many new partners you’ve had in the past three months, and whether you use condoms or other barrier methods)
- your partner’s sex practices
- whether you or your partner(s) have or ever had any symptoms
- whether you or your partner(s) have ever had a sexually transmitted infection and how it was treated
- whether you or your partner(s) have injected drugs or shared needles for injecting drugs
- what allergies to medications you may have
- what birth control you use
- what kinds of self-treatment — over-the-counter medications, douches, etc., — you may have tried
- your last period, if you’re a woman — to see if you could be pregnant.
In general, parental permission is not needed for STD testing. However, there may be certain locations where, for one reason or another, a provider will require parental permission or may notify a parent about testing. If you’re concerned about confidentiality, ask your health care provider about your local laws and policies before you get tested.
It’s important to be honest with your health care provider. Your provider will be helping you make important decisions about what test(s) you may need.
Tags: doctors, STD testing, teens