Free STD testing may sound good in theory, but in practice there are some pitfalls that you as a patient must take into account. There are options for free STD testing near you and available to you, whether from your local city or county clinic to locations operated and funded by nonprofit organizations. While these free STD testing options can be a good tool, the experience can often be frustrating and embarrassing for some people.
Long waiting times to be tested
With so many people looking for cheap or free STD testing, you probably won’t be the only one waiting to get tested. Free STD testing clinics have notoriously long wait times, meaning you could be wasting your day in a waiting room instead of using your time in a more productive way.
Lack of privacy
Let’s address one of the biggest problems with free STD testing clinics: lack of privacy. When you stop by your local free STD testing clinic, the purpose of your visit is clear and obvious. Free STD testing locations typically only offer one service: free STD testing. This means that when you visit one of these clinics and are seen or recognized, you are being deprived of your precious privacy regarding your sexual health. Choosing to get tested is a deeply personal choice, and it’s one that many people want to keep as private as possible for various reasons.
Potentially awkward test visits
When you are seen at a free clinic or other free STD testing location, you will often be seen by a medical professional or member of staff, who will go through a series of awkward or uncomfortable questions in an attempt to gather data that is relevant. analyzed and used by state or local health departments. How many sexual partners have you had? What types of sex do you participate in? Do you have sex with members of the same sex, the opposite sex or both? Have you recently had a sexual experience that concerns you? These are just some of the possible questions you may be asked at a free STD testing location before getting tested.
Long wait times to receive your results
Free STD testing clinics do not have the laboratory partnerships that other STD testing providers have. While the test itself may be free to you, there is no added incentive to get your test results processed quickly to give you peace of mind. Your test will be one of a large batch that needs to be processed. Keep in mind that with so many people seeking out the free STD testing option, there will be many more tests to process and send to the lab, including yours.
Not necessarily free
The term ‘free STD testing’ is not always what it seems. While there are some nonprofits that fund their ability to offer free STD testing with the money they raise or grants they receive, some even require a donation from you. Some may advertise that they offer free STD testing, but it is likely that testing does not cover all the most common STDs and may only test for specific STDs, at no cost to you. Bottom line: Make sure you do your research on what “free” really means.
Awkward test visits
Clinics that offer free STD testing often do not use the most up-to-date testing methods available to medical professionals. It used to be that for certain STD tests, namely bacterial infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis, you had to submit a smear test. These smears can often be quite painful, and unfortunately many clinics still use them out of necessity or habit. Modern testing methods have virtually eliminated the need for these painful smear tests. Do your own body a favor and find a place where you don’t have to worry about the unnecessary and potentially painful Pap smear method.
Not all STDs may be covered
Free STD testing does not always include testing for every STD you may have contracted. The incentive to provide free STD testing to government health programs and nonprofit organizations is to help reduce the number of infections from STDs that have the potential to be life-threatening or serious health consequences. Therefore, it is much more common to find free STD testing clinics that only offer free HIV testing, for example. Because HIV is an infection that poses a major health risk to the general population, it is considered cost-effective to get more people tested by offering free STD testing. It’s much less common to see free STD testing for gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, or especially herpes.
Less reliable tests
Your health is important and you should only have access to the best tools to help you protect it. Some clinics that offer free STD testing use cheaper and older generation STD tests to save costs. However, as technologies improve, so does the accuracy of results. Using an older STD test means a greater risk that your results will be inaccurate. While a free STD test may seem more cost-effective at first, an inaccurate result could cost you more than the money you saved on the first free STD test. We encourage everyone to invest wisely when it comes to your sexual health.
As STD testing professionals, we at Priority STD Testing understand why patients may look for cheaper or free STD testing options. We encourage anyone who is sexually active to have all the information needed to make the right choice for their sexual health and STD testing needs. Weighing the pros and cons of free STD testing options should be part of that consideration, and Priority STD Testing strives to be a trusted partner in your sexual health. For more information about specific STDs and the STD tests available to you, visit our STD Symptoms or STD Tests and Pricing pages.