Before You're There - Sexual Health Quiz

Correctly using condoms and other barriers every time you have sex can reduce the risk of STIs, including HIV.

There are other ways to reduce, or even avoid, STI risk. Choose the prevention steps that work for you, including medication to prevent or treat HIV infection.

Know your CONDOM DOs & DON’Ts.
The Right Way to Use an External (Sometimes Called Male) Condom

Correctly using condoms and other barriers every time you have sex can reduce the risk of STIs, including HIV.

There are other ways to reduce, or even avoid, STI risk. Choose the prevention steps that work for you, including medication to prevent or treat HIV infection.

Know your CONDOM DOs & DON’Ts.
The Right Way to Use an External (Sometimes Called Male) Condom

Having had an STI before could place you at greater risk of having or getting one now. That’s because engaging in the same or similar sexual behaviors could place you at risk now. Some infections are also associated with HIV – having one of these infections could put you at greater risk for also getting or transmitting HIV.

Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have had STIs before. They are common, so no judgment! This will help them make sure they’re giving you the best prevention advice. This can include offering you STI testing and treatment, including medication to prevent or treat HIV infection, if you need it.

Did you know that having had an STI before could place you at greater risk of having or getting one now? That’s because engaging in the same or similar sexual behaviors could place you at risk now. Some infections are also associated with HIV – having one of these infections could put you at greater risk for also getting or transmitting HIV. Continue choosing the prevention methods that work for you!

If you don’t know, that’s okay! These infections don’t always cause symptoms or may only cause mild symptoms. So, it is possible to have had an infection and not known it. That is why getting a test, or talking to your healthcare provider about testing, is important if you are having sex. If you are diagnosed with an STI, know that all are treatable with medicine, and some are curable entirely. Or maybe you’ve never had one. Either way, continue choosing the prevention methods that work for you!

Knowing if your partner has an STI is good information to have when you’re making choices about your sexual health! If your partner is currently receiving treatment for an STI, you may need treatment, too, and you probably need to avoid sex until you’ve both completed your treatment. Once you’ve talked to your partner, talk to your healthcare provider. They’ll have the best advice for you based on your current situation. This can include offering you STI testing and treatment, including medication to prevent or treat HIV infection, if you need it. In the future, continue sharing STI test results with your partner!

Knowing if your partner has an STI is good information to have when you’re making choices about your sexual health. If possible, having a conversation about STIs is a good idea. Whatever you learn can inform how you choose to protect yourself. For example, if you learn that your partner is currently receiving treatment for an STI, you may need treatment, too, and you probably need to avoid sex until you’ve both completed your treatment. A conversation with your partner is a good first step. Then your healthcare provider can help you navigate next steps, which can include offering you STI testing and treatment, including medication to prevent or treat HIV infection, if you need it!

Just like it’s possible to not know if you’ve had an STI before, it’s also possible to not know if your partner has. That’s okay! Knowing if your partner has an STI is good information to have when you’re making choices about your sexual health. If possible, having a conversation about STIs is a good idea. Whatever you learn can inform how you choose to protect yourself. For example, if you learn that your partner is currently receiving treatment for an STI, you may need treatment, too, and you probably need to avoid sex until you’ve both completed your treatment. A conversation with your partner is a good first step. Then your healthcare provider can help you navigate next steps. This can include offering you STI testing and treatment, including medication to prevent or treat HIV infection, if you need it.

Having sex while using drugs can make you more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior. Risky behavior can place you at risk for STIs, including HIV. Additionally, sharing needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment can place you at risk for infections like HIV and viral hepatitis.

Correctly using condoms and other barriers every time you have sex can reduce the risk of infections.

Know your CONDOM DOs & DON’Ts.
The Right Way to Use an External (Sometimes Called Male) Condom

You can also take steps to prevent getting HIV from injection drug use, including taking medication to prevent infection.

Having sex while using drugs can make you more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior. Risky behavior can place you at risk for STIs, including HIV. Additionally, sharing needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment can place you at risk for infections like HIV and viral hepatitis.

Correctly using condoms and other barriers every time you have sex can reduce the risk of infections.

Know your CONDOM DOs & DON’Ts.
The Right Way to Use an External (Sometimes Called Male) Condom

You can also take steps to prevent getting HIV from injection drug use, including taking medication to prevent infection.

Having sex while using drugs can make you more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior. Risky behavior can place you at risk for STIs, including HIV. Additionally, sharing needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment can place you at risk for infections like HIV and viral hepatitis.

Correctly using condoms and other barriers every time you have sex can reduce the risk of infections.

Know your CONDOM DOs & DON’Ts.
The Right Way to Use an External (Sometimes Called Male) Condom

You can also take steps to prevent getting HIV from injection drug use, including taking medication to prevent infection.

People who exchange sex are at increased risk of getting or transmitting HIV and other STIs because they are more likely to engage in behaviors such as sex without a condom, sex with multiple partners, and substance use.

If you exchange sex, it’s important to get tested regularly for HIV and other STIs. This information can help you choose the prevention steps that work for you, including condoms and medication to prevent or treat HIV infection.

Exchanging sex can increase the risk of getting or transmitting HIV and other STIs because it can involve behaviors such as sex without a condom, sex with multiple partners, and substance use.

If you exchange sex, it’s important to get tested regularly for HIV and other STIs. This information can help you choose the prevention steps that work for you, including condoms and medication to prevent or treat HIV infection.

Being in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who does not have an STI is one of the most reliable ways to avoid infection. (Mutual monogamy means that you agree to be sexually active with only one person, who has agreed to be sexually active only with you.)

Whether you’re mutually monogamous or not, it’s important that you talk to your partner about STIs. It’s possible they have an infection but don’t know it – they may need testing or treatment. It’s also possible they can pass the infection to you.

In addition to mutual monogamy, there are other ways to reduce, or even avoid, STI risk. Choose the prevention steps that work for you, including condoms and medication to prevent or treat HIV infection.

Agreeing to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who does not have an STI is a great way to avoid infection. (Mutual monogamy means that you agree to be sexually active with only one person, who has agreed to be sexually active only with you.) Continue having open conversations with your partner about STI risk and sharing your STI test results with them. You can also consider other STI prevention methods that might work for you!

If you’re not sure if your partner has had sex with others while also having sex with you, this could be a good time to have that conversation. It’s possible they have an infection but don’t know it – they may need testing or treatment. It’s also possible they can pass the infection to you.

Moving forward, being in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who does not have an STI is one of the most reliable ways to avoid infection. (Mutual monogamy means that you agree to be sexually active with only one person, who has agreed to be sexually active only with you.) That’s something you can consider together. You can also consider other STI prevention methods that might work for you!