Why home test kits for STIs are a great option for getting tested

Sexual health is an important aspect of your overall health. Maintaining it can take a lot of thought and consideration.

With STIs continuing to have profound effects on those who get them, it’s important to ensure people have the tools they need to maintain their sexual health.

Home test kits for STIs offer a safe, convenient, and accurate way for people to get a full view of their sexual health status, giving them the information they need to manage their health or get treated if required.

Here are a few reasons why home test kits are a great option for most people.

Are you concerned about a recent sexual encounter? Get a Full Screen with Better2Know.

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Accurate results

Some people may feel that home test kits are less accurate or reliable than tests done in a lab.

But this isn’t the case.

Research conducted by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) shows that samples collected by individuals are often just as good as samples collected at sexual health clinics by clinicians, especially for infections like Chlamydia or Gonorrhoea.

Better2Know’s home test kits were created to make testing so easy that anyone can do it.

This means that whether you get tested at home or a clinic, you’ll get the same high-quality samples that can deliver accurate results for your test.

More privacy

The thought of having an STI can be very stressful for many people.

Part of this stress comes from the stigma around having STIs. Many people, for a variety of social, psychological, and emotional reasons, don’t feel comfortable going to a sexual health clinic.

With a home test kit, you can get tested in the privacy of your own home without having to travel to a clinic. It also removes the need to get a clinician to take any samples. Many people don’t feel comfortable getting swab samples taken, especially in intimate areas.

A home test kit can also be delivered straight to your door in a nondescript box under a different name, ensuring maximum privacy protection.

Home test kits also offer an alternative for people who are afraid of needles. Most home tests that require blood samples use lancets that prick a small hole in the finger to release blood. This sample collection method is sufficient to detect most blood-borne STIs.

With home test kits, you only have to worry about collecting and posting your samples to a laboratory. Easy!

Time saved

Clinics can get busy. Human and material resources can be limited at any given time.

With a home test kit, you don’t have to worry about long wait times or getting to and from the clinic. You can order the test and have it delivered straight to your door.

Better2Know also offers Special Delivery on home test kits to the UK and Ireland, allowing you to get your test kit the next working day after you order it.

Safe and easy delivery

All Better2Know home test kits include a pre-paid delivery envelope for your samples. After you collect your samples, seal them in the envelope and post them. Your samples will be sent directly to our certified laboratory for analysis.

Detailed instructions

Each test kit includes detailed instructions on how to take your test samples and post them to our laboratory, making the entire process quick and simple.

How to improve the chances of a great result

There are some things you can do to ensure that you get reliable and accurate test results with your home test kit.

Test after the incubation period

The incubation period is the time between the initial infection and when that infection can be detected by a test. The length of an incubation period depends on the infection and the test.

Getting tested before the incubation period may result in an inaccurate test result, so it’s important to get tested at the right time.

Keep your hands and surfaces clean

When using your test kit, keep your hands and any surfaces on which you lay the test materials clean. This will ensure that no contaminants can affect the samples you send in.

Speak to a Sexual Health Advisor

If you need help with your home test kit or have any questions about the testing process, call the number at the top of this page to speak to one of our trained Sexual Health Advisors. They can walk you through the process and advise you on any questions you may have about taking your sample.

Follow home test kit instructions

Every Better2Know home test kit includes detailed instructions for collecting and delivering your samples. Follow these instructions to get your home test results as soon as possible.

Popular home test kits

If you want to get tested at home but don’t know where to start, here are some of Better2Know’s most popular home test kits.

Full Screen: A screen for the UK’s seven most common STIs – a great choice for anyone who wants a full view of their sexual health
Platinum Screen: Tests for 11 different STIs, offering the most comprehensive screening service for STIs in the UK
Blemish Screen: Perfect for anyone worried about STIs who has symptoms on their skin, such as a wart, sore, or chancre
Comfort Screen: Ideal for anyone who is experiencing discomfort in their genital area, including itching, burning, unusual discharge, and pain during urination or sex
Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea: An affordable test for the two most common bacterial STIs in the UK
Urine for Microscopy and Culture: Get tested for harmful bacteria and yeast with this simple urine test