Bell Ringer Open your student workbook to page 54. Under the heading Journal Entry, write a few short sentences about what you would do if you thought you might have an STD. What symptoms would you look for, how would you feel, where would you go, and whom would you talk to?

Unit 4: HIV, STD & Pregnancy Prevention Lesson 9: Getting Tested for HIV, Other STD & Pregnancy

Healthy Behavior Outcomes Be sexually abstinent. Engage in behaviors that prevent or reduce sexually transmitted diseases (STD), including HIV infection. Engage in behaviors that prevent or reduce unintended pregnancy.

Lesson Objectives By the end of this lesson, you should: Explain why it is sexually responsible to know the STD/HIV status of oneself and of a potential sexual partner. List the steps involved in getting tested for HIV, other STD and pregnancy. Explain the importance of STD and HIV testing and counseling if sexually active. Identify local resources where teens can get tested for STD, HIV and pregnancy. Access valid and reliable sexual health services.

How do you imagine Jess is feeling and why? Based on what you know about HIV and other STDs, what is Jess risking by doing nothing? Why is it important for Jess to find out their HIV and STD status?

Summary Jess is in a situation that can cause a lot of strong feelings, such as worry, embarrassment, fear, shame, and sadness. Being in that situation can be very difficult, and strong feelings can make it harder to take action to find out more information and get the facts.

Summary (cont.) The best thing, of course, would have been for both Jess and Julian to be tested for HIV and other STD before having sex with each other. The choices Jess makes now may affect their future in significant ways. If Jess does nothing, there is a risk of having serious health consequences from HIV or another STD, as well as the risk of giving HIV or another STD to any future sexual partners, and putting their lives and health at risk too.

Summary (cont.) Getting tested is the smart and sexually responsible thing for Jess to do. If the test results are negative, meaning Jess does not have HIV or another STD, Jess will have the opportunity to make safer choices in the future. These might include setting sexual limits, talking with a partner about sexual risks, and always using a condom if sexually active.

Summary (cont.) If the test results are positive, meaning Jess does have HIV or another STD, Jess will have some important choices to make about treatment and other things that could affect his or her health. The sooner Jess knows the results, the sooner Jess can get treated for an STD or begin to manage the HIV infection. If the results are positive, Jess will also have to learn how to protect others from becoming infected.

What to Know About Testing Turn to page 28 in your student workbook. Read the directions and complete the activity sheet on page 28 on your assigned fact sheet.

What would you say to a friend who was sexually active but had never been tested for HIV or other STD? How could you convince your friend of the importance of getting tested?

Summary Getting tested is often the only way to know your STD/HIV status. The sooner you know, the sooner you can take steps to reduce your risk of getting infected in the future if the results are negative, or take steps to get treated, stay healthy and protect your sexual partners if the results are positive. Getting tested any time you might have been at risk or be putting someone else at risk is always the sexually responsible thing to do.

How do you think the support of a caring and professional counselor could help a teen who was going through the testing process?

Summary Counselors can help a person prepare for testing, understand the results and take steps to stay healthy and protect others in the future. They can advise people with a negative test result on how to stay negative. They can help people who test positive access treatment and other resources, especially in cases of HIV. They can also offer support and resources to the family and partners of someone who tests positive.

How would you judge whether a resource is reliable?

Summary A resource is reliable if its information comes from a trustworthy source. This means that: It’s verified, or shown to be true, by another source. The information is accurate and up to date. It’s from a recognized government, medical or professional organization or other well documented and reputable group.

Can you think of some resources people turn to for information about sex and sexual health that might not be as reliable or accurate?

Summary A resource may not be reliable or accurate if: It is in a popular media –newspaper, magazine, TV. It is from a website not sponsored by a government or professional organization. The information is different from most other sources. It is trying to sell you a product or point of view.

Why is it important to find reliable resources?

Summary If a resource is not trustworthy, you will not know if the information you get is true. Inaccurate or out-of-date information could be harmful or lead someone to a wrong decision.

You have been learning a lot of facts about pregnancy, HIV and other STD during these lessons. In what ways has finding out more about the testing process added to your understanding of how to protect your own sexual health and the sexual health of any current or future partners?