Benefits of Home STD Testing Kits.

Sexually transmitted diseases refer to any type of disease you pick up from someone you had sexual contact with in the past. Doctors today often refer to STDs as STIs, which stands for sexually transmitted infections. Some of the more common diseases include chlamydia, gonorrhea and genital warts. As some of these diseases and infections have little to no symptoms, the only way you can really tell if you are clean is with testing. Using a home testing kit like an HIV ELISA kit often has a number of benefits over visiting a clinic for testing.

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Truly Private Results
When you visit a clinic for an STI test, you generally need to submit blood and/or urine samples, go home and wait to receive a call back. The doctor or nurse will then take you into a separate room to discuss your results in private. While the tests are private, you never know who might see you enter or leave the clinic. Taking the test at home ensures your privacy. You can complete the steps associated with the test and mail the test to the testing center. Your results will come directly to you at home or any address you choose.

Lower Costs
Though the Affordable Care Act reduced the cost of health insurance in the United States, some people still cannot afford insurance. If you do not have health insurance or live close to a free clinic, you may need to pay as much as $100 or more for each STI test you take. Major cities are usually the only places that offer free testing, and many hospitals and clinics require that you meet certain income restrictions to get free STD tests. With home kits, you can usually submit your sample and get your results for as little as $50.

Protect Yourself
As many STIs come with few symptoms, it's important that you get yourself tested regularly and especially before you enter into a sexual relationship with someone new. You may find that you contracted an STI years ago and never showed a single symptom. Taking one or more tests lets you protect yourself and any future sexual partner you may have. With home testing kits, both you and your partner can get tested for the more common diseases. This ensures that you are both clean, healthy and ready to start your new relationship.