Understand what sexual health services are
If you have ever wondered, “what do sexual health services include?”, you are not alone. Sexual health is about much more than STI tests or birth control. When you visit a clinic or talk with a provider, you are tapping into a full range of services designed to help you stay healthy, informed, and comfortable with your body and your relationships.
Sexual health services usually cover five big areas: testing, treatment, prevention, counseling, and support for your overall reproductive and emotional wellbeing. Different clinics may offer slightly different options, but the building blocks are similar.
In this guide, you will see what to expect, how each service can benefit you, and how to decide which ones you might want to use next.
Get tested and screened for STIs
A core part of sexual health services is testing and screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), sometimes called sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Many STIs have no symptoms at all, so testing is often the only way to know what is going on with your body.
What STI testing can include
Depending on your situation, your provider might recommend:
- Blood tests
- Urine tests
- Swab tests from the vagina, penis, throat, anus, or sores
- In rare cases, a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) if there are serious concerns about infection in your nervous system
These tests help diagnose infections like chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, hepatitis, herpes, and others (MedlinePlus, Mayo Clinic).
During a visit, a clinician usually:
- Reviews your symptoms, if you have any
- Asks about your sexual history and partners
- May do a physical or pelvic exam to check for discharge, rash, sores, warts, or other signs of infection (Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic)
When you might be tested
You can get tested:
- When you have symptoms like itching, burning, unusual discharge, pain during sex, or sores
- As part of routine screening if you are sexually active
- During pregnancy
- When you have a new partner or multiple partners
- If a partner tells you they tested positive
Guidelines recommend at least one HIV test for most people and regular STI testing for sexually active people at higher risk, such as men who have sex with men and sexually active women under 25 (Mayo Clinic).
At-home testing options
Many sexual health services now include or recommend at-home STI testing. These kits can let you collect:
- Urine
- Swabs from your genitals, throat, or anus
- Small blood samples
You then mail your sample to a lab and receive results online or by phone (MedlinePlus, Mayo Clinic).
At-home tests can feel more private and may be helpful if you have trouble getting to a clinic, although you still need a provider for any treatment or follow up.
Receive treatment and follow up care
Testing is only one half of the picture. Sexual health services also include treatment, follow up, and support if you do test positive.
How STIs are usually treated
If you are diagnosed with an STI, your provider might prescribe:
- Antibiotics for bacterial infections like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis
- Antiviral medications for infections such as herpes and HIV
- Other medicines or supportive care depending on the infection
You are usually asked to:
- Take all medications exactly as prescribed
- Avoid sex for a set period until treatment is complete
- Return for retesting if recommended (Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic)
Finishing the full course of treatment is important even if you start to feel better early.
Partner notification and treatment
To prevent reinfection and protect others, sexual health services often help you notify recent partners so they can get tested and treated too. This might look like:
- Guidance on how to talk with partners
- Confidential partner notification through a public health department
- Expedited partner therapy (EPT) in some places, where your partner can receive treatment without a clinic visit (Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic)
Your provider can walk you through which approach is available and safest for you.
Access prevention tools and vaccines
Another big part of answering “what do sexual health services include?” is prevention. Clinics and programs focus on helping you lower your risk of getting or passing on infections.
Safer sex supplies and education
You can usually expect information and practical support around:
- Correct condom use
- Choosing between latex and non latex condoms
- Using lubrication to reduce friction and tearing
- Communication with partners about STI status and testing history
Some health departments also run condom distribution programs that provide free condoms, including specialty options, to clinics and community groups (Virginia Department of Health).
Vaccines to protect your health
Vaccination is one of the strongest tools for preventing certain infections that affect your sexual health. Depending on your age and medical history, you may be able to get vaccines for:
- Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Mpox (in some health districts)
For example, STI clinics in the Prince William Health District may offer vaccines like HPV, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Mpox when recommended by a healthcare provider (Virginia Department of Health). HPV vaccination in general is recommended starting as early as ages 11 to 12 and can be given up through age 45 in many cases (Cleveland Clinic).
HIV prevention with PrEP and testing
Many sexual health services now include:
- Routine HIV testing as part of STI care
- Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), a daily pill or periodic injection that greatly lowers your chance of getting HIV when taken as prescribed
The Prince William Health District, for example, offers PrEP along with regular healthcare follow up as part of its HIV prevention services (Virginia Department of Health).
There are also programs that provide free at home HIV test kits, such as the Virginia & Maryland Home HIV Testing Program, which offers rapid oral swab tests for residents, with results in around 20 minutes (Virginia Department of Health).
Get counseling and behavioral health support
Sexual health is closely tied to your thoughts, emotions, relationships, and sense of safety. Many services include counseling to help you understand your risks, make choices that match your values, and cope with any stress or stigma you may feel.
Behavioral counseling for STI prevention
Behavioral counseling interventions can be offered:
- In person
- Through videos or websites
- By written materials
- By phone calls or text messages
These programs aim to:
- Increase your knowledge about STIs and HIV
- Help you understand your personal risk
- Build your motivation to practice safer sex
- Teach skills like condom use and partner communication
Some of the most effective programs use multiple sessions over time, and total more than 120 minutes, although shorter interventions can still help (USPSTF).
Clinicians usually take a sexual history to figure out your needs. They pay attention to:
- How often you use condoms
- Whether you have had STIs in the past
- Number of partners
- Whether you belong to groups with higher STI rates (USPSTF)
Techniques like motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapy can be used to help you:
- See your real level of risk
- Learn new communication habits
- Reduce unprotected sex
- Reduce having overlapping sexual partners (USPSTF)
Support when there is violence or coercion
Some people who seek sexual health services are living with sexual violence, coercion, or trafficking. Clinics may:
- Provide information about local hotlines and shelters
- Connect you with specialized services
- Offer trauma informed care as part of your visit
Public health organizations recognize that these situations need specialized help in addition to standard STI prevention counseling (USPSTF).
Explore sex therapy and mental health support
Not all sexual health concerns are medical. You might feel distressed about low desire, pain, performance anxiety, past experiences, or difficulty with intimacy. That is where sex therapists and mental health professionals come in.
What a sex therapist does
Sex therapists focus on the emotional and psychological parts of sexual health. They:
- Use talk therapy to explore your thoughts, feelings, and experiences
- Help you and, if you choose, your partner work through intimacy or relationship challenges
- Address the impact of sexual dysfunction on your self esteem and daily life
Sessions may include exercises to build trust, role playing conversations, or guided activities that you try at home. There is no physical contact during therapy itself (Cleveland Clinic).
Sex therapists do not treat physical medical conditions, so they may ask you to see a healthcare provider to rule out or manage any underlying medical issues first.
Training and types of providers
Certified sex therapists usually have many years of training, often totaling around nine years of education and supervised practice, and use evidence based psychotherapy techniques. Sex counselors tend to focus more on short term education and action based strategies (Cleveland Clinic).
If you are unsure where to start, a primary care provider, gynecologist, or sexual health clinic can help you decide whether medical treatment, therapy, or both might be helpful and can give you referrals.
Use family planning and reproductive services
In many places, when you ask “what do sexual health services include?”, the answer extends into family planning and broader reproductive care too.
Contraception and pregnancy related care
Publicly supported clinics in the United States often provide:
- Birth control counseling and methods
- Pregnancy testing
- Preconception or interpregnancy care
- Basic prenatal or pregnancy related services
These services are usually available through health departments, Planned Parenthood affiliates, hospitals, federally qualified health centers, and other organizations (Guttmacher Institute).
Title X, a federal program, specifically supports affordable family planning services, including contraception and STI testing for people who are uninsured or prefer not to use insurance (Guttmacher Institute).
In Virginia, for instance, Title X clinics provide birth control and reproductive health services on a sliding scale, and are open to everyone regardless of income, immigration status, race, gender identity, or ability (Virginia Department of Health).
Affordability and insurance support
Sexual health services are often designed to be as affordable as possible. Depending on where you live, you may have access to:
- Medicaid coverage for reproductive and sexual health services
- State or local programs that cover free birth control for people under a certain income level
- Sliding scale fees based on your income
For example, Virginia’s Contraceptive Access Initiative provides free birth control at participating organizations for eligible patients with incomes under 250 percent of the federal poverty level who are uninsured or cannot safely use their insurance (Virginia Department of Health). Medicaid in Virginia also covers reproductive health services for people who qualify (Virginia Department of Health).
Visit local STI and sexual health clinics
Local health departments and clinics often bring all of these services together in one place.
What a district STI clinic might offer
Using the Prince William Health District as one example, you can expect STI clinics to provide:
- Confidential STI screening and detection
- On site treatment for many infections
- Education about prevention and safer sex
- HIV prevention services like PrEP
- Vaccines that support sexual health, when recommended
Clinics there offer same day or scheduled appointments on weekdays during regular business hours. You are usually asked to bring your insurance information and proof of income, if you have it, to see what financial options apply (Virginia Department of Health).
Your own health district or community clinic may have a similar mix of services. Many also provide or refer you to primary care, breast and cervical cancer screenings, and other general health services (Guttmacher Institute).
Know what to expect at your visit
Going to a sexual health appointment can feel uncomfortable if you are not sure what will happen. Knowing the basic flow can help you feel more prepared and in control.
A typical visit might include
-
Check in
You complete forms about your medical and sexual history, and how to contact you safely. -
Conversation with a provider
Your clinician asks about your concerns, symptoms, partners, and protection methods in a private, nonjudgmental way. -
Exam and testing
Depending on your needs, you might have a physical or pelvic exam, and provide urine, blood, or swab samples. -
Counseling and education
You receive information tailored to your situation, such as how often to get tested, how to reduce your risk, and how to share information with partners. -
Treatment or follow up plan
If you need medication, vaccines, or referrals, your provider will explain the options. You will also find out how and when you will get your test results.
You can always ask questions at any point, say no to any part you are not comfortable with, or bring a support person if the clinic allows it.
Turn information into action
Sexual health services are there to help you care for your body, your relationships, and your future. Knowing the full answer to “what do sexual health services include?” makes it easier to choose what you need right now.
To move from reading to doing, you might:
- Schedule an STI screening if it has been a while or you have a new partner
- Ask your provider whether you are due for any vaccines like HPV or Hepatitis B
- Talk about PrEP if you think you might be at higher risk for HIV
- Reach out to a therapist or sex therapist if sexual concerns are affecting your wellbeing
- Explore local family planning or Title X clinics if you need affordable birth control or reproductive care
Start with one small step that feels manageable, such as booking an appointment or ordering an at home test through a trusted program. Each action you take is an investment in your long term health and peace of mind.
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