‘Self-testing versus ‘self-collection: the critical role of consistent language in the field of STI diagnostics

Self-collection of specimens and self-testing for the detection of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are important tools that play a vital role in the prevention, detection and treatment of these infections. Self-collection involves people obtaining their own specimen, either following the guidance of a healthcare professional or completely independently.1 Self-collected samples may be handed to a healthcare professional for further processing, sent to a remote laboratory that returns the test result to the person and/or their healthcare provider or used for self-testing (figure 1). Self-testing is the process by which a person who wants to know their STI status collects a specimen, performs the test and interprets the test result in private, without the support from a healthcare provider.2

Figure 1

Distinction between sexually transmitted infection (STI) self-collection and self-testing. Illustration showing that self-collection involves submitting specimens to a laboratory for analysis, whereas self-testing allows…

Read the full article ›