Sexual Health Screening

[Lakitu]

In recent times, the media has been encouraging the general public to take better care of their sexual health and that there is no (longer) any stigma attached to going for a full STD screening.

We had Anna Richardson on Channel 4 for the last few weeks promoting the importance of it, we have the embarrassing illnesses doctors promoting awareness and we have the advert (in Scotland anyway) where the couples are getting down to business with the name of 'their' STD written on their belt or knickers.

Well, their hard work paid off as I was visiting the nurse in my GP practive this afternoon and when we were done I asked her to book me in for a full sexual health screening and I am astounded at the response I received.

She tried to discourage me, starting off telling me that if I'm in a long term relationship that it's not necessary. I pointed out that I am not and even if I were, how could I possibly be sure that my partner had not picked something up from his previous partner or that he wasn't cheating on me unprotected at this very moment.

She then said "But you won't be wanting an HIV test, willl you?" I said that I would as I assumed that when I asked for a FULL screening that an HIV test would come under that umbrella. She told me that if I have an HIV or Hep B test then that will affect my chances of getting a mortgage as they will see my medical records and put me in the "at risk" bracket and I'll be less likely to be granted the mortgage.

How can this be? Surely mortgage companies are not dinosaurs still in the 80's? Surely they would see that I have been sensible enough to get tested and that a negative would stand me in good stead since I'm not dying anytime soon and leaving them with my debt?

Continued.

[ChuckFickens]

Weeal, I'm a little surprised here,

You seem to recognise the importance of getting tested for STD's but then don't seem to realise that HIV is a STD and the test for that is just as relevant as the tests for anything else.

if your going to skip one test what's the point of getting any of them done.

[Lakitu]

Fair enough, Weeal x

Good point, Bath, but that would be anonymous blood really? they check pregnant women as standard too, bet they don't get penalised.

[weeal]

As I said - I would be uninsurable if I 'requested' it.

I cant imagine tho that a high percentage of females would test for than when many dont even have routine tests.

Am I alone in this then? lol
would you all get HIV tested ??

[weeal]

Other disorders are serious too but I dont worry I will get them or ask for checks for them.

[Bathsheba]

Hmmmm- never thought about the anonymous bit. Never given blood myself, but a friend was told she was too anaemic to donate and was sent away, so i would hope that if they came across someone who was HIV postive they would let them know.

[ChuckFickens]

yes I would, and yes I have been!

[weeal]

Hi Bath, yeah donors are checked without their say-so, as opposed to believing they are at risk and asking for the test.

[weeal]

ooh chuck, and would you admit it on an insurance form or whatever?

[Lakitu]

I don't think anyone is uninsurable if tested, weeal, just more difficult, which is my gripe with it.

Like I said, the media is promoting sexual health awareness almost on a weekly bases, and as I said to the nurse, I see HIV as coming under that umbrella, so I will be tested for it as standard along with the all the rest.

I'm not sure what happens if the blood donor clinic comes across an HIV positive sample, Bath, I'd like to think they'd inform the 'owner' too. That would be awful to get that news.

[ChuckFickens]

That I've had a test, yes. because I agree with the OP... you should not be penalised for having the test.

I'm not saying you don't get penalised for it, but I firmly believe it's wrong you do!

[weeal]

This is an interesting thread, its making me think about it, but it does scare me to think about it. I admit it.

[ChuckFickens]

I'm glad it's making you think about it.

It is a scary thought, but ignoring it is not the why to go, the fact that anybody should be penalised for undergoing a HIV test is, well almost archaic in my opinion

[Lakitu]

It scares me too, weeal, and in all honesty it's only the efforts of the media that's made me get my arse in gear and get the whole lot done, otherwise I'd have happily been blind to it with an "it won't happen to me" attitude.

I can't sit here and say that I'm 100% sure I'm going to be negative, because nobody can ever say that without being tested and I daresay it will be at the back of my mind when I'm waiting for the results, but as I said before I'd rather have the confirmed negative rather than a fairly sure I'm not.

[Lakitu]

Chuck, what is 'OP'?

"I agree with the OP"

[ChuckFickens]

Lakitu,

OP = original poster, i.e you :)

[Le Chat]

I can't remember being asked whether I'd had an HIV test on my mortgage application. If I had the answer would have been 'yes' and I was accepted for the first mortgage I applied for. I wouldn't have lied about it. I have only had the mortgage for three years , so it's not like I've had to stretch my memory back along way.

[Lakitu]

Thank you for letting me know you didn't have any problems, Le Chat. It could be that it used to be the case and times are changing, along with the stigma attached, but the nburse should not have been telling me such tripe if that's the case.

[wiggal]

I was tested for everything, including HIV 5 years ago after somthing happened to me, and I was advised to have all the tests?

Sorry, I'm a bit naive and confused by this thread!

Is this then likely to count against me getting a mortgage??

[~max~]

I cannot believe than financial institution actually get access to test results...How ridiculous!
If you have been tested, as I have, it only makes you a more responsible person, it doesn't mean anything else!
So, just for the sake of getting cheaper insurance/mortgages, people should just lie, and pretend it doesn't exist?
It isn't a case of it being a disease that only affects "certain populations" anymore, it can affect ANYOBODY. It doesn't matter if you have unprotected sex often or just the once, it only takes one time! Not getting tested on the basis that "you haven't had many partners", or "you're not in a dangerous group" is, I'm sorry, absolutely irresponsible.

[Ice.Maiden]

All blood that's donated these days, is screened before possible use. The reason for this, is that during the 1980's, blood products were imported from the US, where screening wasn't done, and people used to be paid for giving blood. Some of this was contaminated with the HIV virus, and that's why it's all checked beforehand now, as certain groups of people, such as haemophiliacs ended up being HIV positive.