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If you have any sexual concerns, health care providers can give you information and support.  They may not bring up the topic of sexual health, but most providers are usually open to talking about it. They can rule out...

If you have a reportable STI, a health care provider will ask you about your sexual partners, and sometimes the people you share drug-equipment with. If you want, a public health nurse can work with you to plan how you will talk to...

When you are diagnosed with a reportable STI, anyone you have had sexual contact with or shared drug equipment with needs to be notified that they have been exposed to a communicable infection.  This is sometimes called ‘contact...

What is anonymous HIV testing? In British Columbia, there are a number of ways that you can get an HIV test.  With anonymous HIV testing your name is not attached to your result and your contact information is never collected. You are...

If this is a concern for you, feel free to chat with us or ask a question through this website. Common Concerns Notifying sex partners about a positive STI: The BC Centre for Disease Control, and public health nurses in each Health...

PrEP is different from PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis), as PrEP is taken before exposure to HIV and may be taken on a long-term basis. How does it work? PrEP usually comes as a combination tablet that contains two medications called...

In most cases, PEP stops HIV from establishing itself in the body and will prevent you from becoming HIV positive. To be effective, the treatment needs to be started as soon as possible in the first 72 hours after exposure. The treatment...

If you have one of these STIs, you may be wondering about how this will affect your sex life. Some common concerns include how to manage symptoms and how to talk to partners. Some people feel sad, angry, fearful or uncertain about what...

Window periods are based on averages or statistics from studies. Different HIV tests have different window periods. As HIV testing technology improves, window periods may become more specific or even get shorter. HIV tests used in British...

Do you have a question about your sexual health? Ask a nurse at the BC Centre for Disease Control. We can give you up-to-date sexual health information and help you find the answers you need. You can connect with a nurse in two ways: ask a...

If you are concerned that there is a chance that you have an STI, or if you notice any symptoms of an STI, it is important to: Get tested for STIs Getting tested regularly will help you know for sure if you have an STI even if you do not...

If you have just found out that you have a sexually transmitted infection (STI), you are not alone. The majority of people who are sexually active will get at least one STI in their lifetime. It’s common to have questions. For more...

What you can say “I got some test results today. I think we should talk about them.” “I just found out I might have something and I am worried about you. I'll come to the clinic with you if you want.” “I just learned that a person I...

Introduction This Policy describes the privacy and confidentiality practices and commitments of the BC Centre for Disease Control (“BCCDC”) and the Provincial Health Services Authority ("PHSA") in the operation of the SmartSexResource...

The statistics reported in this section give a snapshot of STIs in the BC population based on surveillance and research data that is available. These statistics have the following important limitations: The true number of people with an...

If a sexual partner has told you that they have an STI, you may be worried that you were exposed to the STI during penetrative or oral sex. If you share drug equipment, you may also have been exposed to certain STIs. See a health care...

SmartSexResource is a service provided by the Clinical Prevention Services Division at the BC Centre for Disease Control, as part of the Provincial Health Services Authority. This Division provides leadership  for the treatment and...

HIV - A reportable infection HIV is a reportable infection. This means that if an HIV test is positive, the result is reported to public health so that staff can provide support to the person and keep track of the number of new HIV...

Any information shared with a health care provider is confidential, including test results. When you go for STI testing, you may be asked for personal information such as your name, birth date, Medical Services Plan (BC Care Card) number,...

Introduction The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), is pleased to provide and support the SmartSexResource website (the “Site”) as an online...