Hi SJSU students, we’re Peer Health Education’s Healthy Sexuality team. By now, you’ve probably heard that it’s important to have safer sex to avoid sexually transmitted infections. Did you know that safer sex isn’t just about what you do when your clothes are off (or on, if you’re into that)? Getting tested for STIs and talking about it with your partner(s) is also part of the safer sex toolbox. 

Luckily for us, the SJSU Student Health Center (SHC) is one place where students can get tested. Our team wanted to know more about what testing at the SHC might be like, so we talked about the process with two people you might meet while getting tested here–Nurse Practitioner Trish Latour and Dr. Hidalgo. Keep reading to see some of the highlights of our conversations. 

If a student goes to get STI tested at the SJSU Health Center, what will that process be like?

Students make appointments by calling the SJSU Student Health Center. The center schedules a virtual appointment if you don’t have symptoms, or they’ll do an in-person appointment if you do have symptoms. 

During your appointment, the providers will ask you some questions to decide which tests are right for you. Some of these questions include: 

• if your partners are male/female/both/etc.
• how long you’ve been with these partners
• what protection you’ve used and how often
• which body parts you use to have sex (mouth, genitals, anus, etc.)
• what they should know about your sexuality to take the best care of you

Testing methods might include peeing in a cup, getting a blood test, or swabbing the parts you use to have sex.

How much are STI tests?

The costs depend on the test. If students have insurance or Family Pact, the tests might be free. Without insurance, some tests are similar to the cost of a cup of coffee, and other tests might be the cost of a few days of coffee. The providers don’t want you to pay more than you can, so they won’t suggest getting tests they feel are unnecessary for you.

How long does it take to get results nowadays?

Results take a few days. If you get tested early in the week, you’ll most likely find out the results before the weekend. 

If my test shows I have an STI, how will I find out and what would the next steps be?

Typically, students will find out with a discreet phone call or secure email. Providers take confidentiality seriously while calling students and will verify the student’s identity first. At the start of a phone call, the provider might also ask, “Are you in a place where you can talk?” If a student is at work, they might offer to call later when the student has more privacy and time to process. Dr. Hidalgo says the phone call might sound something like, “I’m sorry to tell you that your chlamydia test came back positive. Don’t panic, we’ll get treatment.” 

Treatment is easily accessible. Usually the treatments are just pills like antibiotics, but sometimes they require a shot from a nurse at the health center. If treatment includes pills, students can get those filled at the SHC pharmacy or at an off-campus pharmacy that’s convenient for them. 

Don’t stop there. Talk it over with your partner(s). It’s important for partners to get tested and treated if needed, or else you could get reinfected. If you don’t know how to tell past partners, you can use a website that anonymously texts them to get tested (like www.tellyourpartner.org). It’s also recommended that you get retested in three months to check for STIs again.

What would you say to people who don’t get tested here because they’re worried they’ll be judged for their sexual behavior?

• SHC providers strive to create a judgment-free, welcoming environment for everyone because their priority is your mental, physical, and sexual wellness. Nurse Practitioner Trish Latour mentioned that they’re used to helping patients with all sorts of sexual behaviors. Providers are also trained to be sensitive to patients’ needs and concerns.
• Into BDSM and/or polyamory? Dr. Hidalgo asserted that the health center providers will not judge anything. If someone does feel judged, she says she’s “I’m open to feedback, and I encourage people to send me messages saying if I made them uncomfortable.”

What else do they want to say to students about STI testing?

Trish and Dr Hidalgo said these key points: 

• Just because someone doesn’t have STI symptoms, that does NOT mean they don’t have an STI. If you are sexually active, the only solid way to know that you do not have an STI is by getting regularly tested. Trish recommends testing at least once a year. Many STIs that don’t show symptoms can have long lasting, irreversible effects. For example, chlamydia increases the risk of pelvic infections that can lead to infertility in people with uteruses. 
• It’s also a good idea to ask a new partner if they’ve been tested for STIs since their last partner. Keeping open communication between you and your sexual partners will help make sure that you’re not putting yourself at unnecessary risk for getting STIs.
• STI testing is not a substitute for safer sex practices. The health center recommends that you use barriers like condoms and dental dams every time if you haven’t all been tested.

The SHC staff is also very understanding and ready to support you through the process when it comes to confidentiality concerns. “I’ve worked at several places in my career and everyone in the health center is a nice person,” Dr. Hidalgo said. Since the Wellness Center offers reduced prices for testing, take advantage of it and take care of your sexual wellness.  

THANK YOU to Nurse Practitioner Trish Latour and Dr Hidalgo for taking the time to talk with our team – and for everything you and the staff at the Student Health Center do to care for SJSU students!