A very common question asked by men in clinical practice, is when should they get STI screening, what is involved in these tests, and what are the tests screening for?
So below is a STI testing ‘101 summary’ of what a standard STI screen for a male usually involves.
There are exceptions for STI testing rates for people in high-risk communities- please read the Australian STI Management Guidelines for more details.
Who should request an STI test?
Any person who is sexually active should attend an STI test, regardless if you are young or old, single or in a relationship, married or widowed, in a same sex relationship or a heterosexual relationship.
Even if you always use condoms, you should have an STI test.
How often should you have an STI test?
As per Government recommendations, you should consider an STI test when you:
- Have recently changed sexual partners.
- Have had unprotected sex.
- Concerned that a condom may have broken during sex.
- Are planning a pregnancy.
- Have had an STI in the past 12-months.
If you are sexually active, you should attend an STI test and a sexual health check-up every 6 to 12 months.
All sexually active men who have sex with men should have a sexual health check-up every 3 months.
It is recommended to be tested for gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis and HIV every 12 months.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are at an elevated risk for STI’s. Testing frequency for STI’s can often depend on geographical location. Generally, testing is recommended every 6 to12 months, but please refer to local guidelines.
What is an STI test and what to expect?
Completing an STI test is straightforward. The consultation involves a 2-step process:
- Answering a series of questions from your doctor or sexual health nurse.
- Completing pathology testing.
What questions are asked during an STI test?
The doctor or sexual health nurse will ask you some short questions to help them know what to test for, what sites they need to collect samples from, and how often you should be tested.
These questions may include:
- How many sexual partners do you currently have?
- When was the last time you had sex?
- Do your partners have penises, vaginas or both?
- What type of sex do you have (oral/anal/vaginal)?
- Do you use barrier protections such as condoms?
- For men who have sex with men: are you on PrEP?
What pathology tests are collected during an STI test?
For a standard STI test you will be requested to provide:
- A urine sample
- Blood sample
- And sometimes a swab sample which you can often collect yourself
The infections and blood borne viruses routinely tested in a standard STI screen are:
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhoea
- HIV
- Syphilis
- Trichomonas (usually for people living in remote communities).
The results of these pathology tests will usually take 1-2 weeks depending on where you live.
Are STI tests covered under Medicare?
If you have a Medicare card, the pathology tests are usually bulk-billed under Medicare. The consultation with your GP may or may not be, so check beforehand.
Where to get an STI test?
You can visit your GP or sexual health professional to get tested. Other places you can be tested include:
- Sexual health clinics
- Family planning centres
- Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs)
Find a sexual health clinic near you and book online, in person or on the phone.
Expert Opinion: Luke Mitchell (Men’s Health Nurse Practitioner)
Most sexually transmissible infections do not show any visible symptoms, so a routine STI check is important as part of your usual health screening.
If you are showing any symptoms, such as pain or difficulty passing urine, abnormal spots or discharges, it’s always worth getting it looked at by your local GP or sexual health nurse. Don’t wait for it to go away.
nPeP (Post exposure prophylaxis) is available to men who have sex with men/LBGTQI+ men who are not on PrEP if they have had unprotected anal sex in the last 72 hours.
Talk to your doctor or nurse if you have any questions about STIs or testing. Googling for answers can often lead to unnecessary stress and anxiety.
