2023-04-26 09:09:44
Infectious disease control doctor Hannelore Götz explains how an STD test works, what you pay for it and how anonymous it is.
Good to know is that venereal diseases are diseases that are transmitted through sexual contact. Common sense, we hear you think. Yet many people think that you can only contract an STI through penetration of the penis into the vagina or anus. A big misunderstanding, says Götz.
“A venereal disease is transmitted through the mucous membranes in the genitalia. You can also get an STI through oral sex. Blowjobs are the most risky. Transmission can also be through the use of sex toys and the fingers. So always clean toys well after use and also if you use them with multiple partners.”
If you think you have an STI, it’s important to get it checked. That may seem exciting, but it’s not that bad. Moreover, you usually don’t really have to expose your buttocks, Götz explains. “Men are often afraid that someone will stir the penis with a stick, but an STD test is not performed that way. The client comes to the appointment and receives a bag with cotton swabs and jars, and then goes to the toilet. Nothing needs to enter the penis, urine is enough. An anal swab can be done by the client and women can take material from the vagina themselves. It doesn’t have to be deep.”
GGDs also send home tests, Götz adds. “Then you take the samples yourself at home and send the material back in a well-sealed envelope. The samples are then tested in the laboratory.”
Two thirds of STI tests are carried out by the general practitioner. If you don’t have that option or don’t want to, you can go to it Center for Sexual Health of the GGD. There is not always room there, says Götze. “People who have heard from a (former) partner that they have an STI, people who are already experiencing symptoms, men who have sex with men and sex workers and young people are given priority for an appointment.”
Then there are also commercial agencies that offer quick STD tests. “They are reliable,” says Götz. “The agencies work together with accredited laboratories. The GGD doctor does not recommend a home test that you buy at the Kruidvat, because they are not reliable.”
Although they don’t have to, many people feel embarrassed if they think they have an STI. The question of how anonymous an STD test is is therefore a common one. “Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about that,” says Götz. “Your medical file is confidential and will not be shared. In addition, you can give a pseudonym to the GGD when you get tested. Please always use the same name, because we will then create a file under that name. We have no link with regular care and your GP will not find out either. We never send a message to the GP without permission,” she says. “We strongly recommend that if someone turns out to have syphilis or HIV. These diseases remain visible in the blood.”
Don’t worry, because your health insurance will reimburse STI tests, says Götz. “If you have the test taken at the doctor’s office, you first pay the deductible yourself. These tests are free at the GGD. Partly because of this, you cannot always and immediately go there, because there are many requests.”
Finally, Götz recommends that in case of complaints, concerns or questions, you should look up reliable information that has been checked by doctors. You can find that information, among other things here.
Bron: NU.nl
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