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Coming out can be a very positive experience when friends and family are supportive and the person feels they can finally be themselves. For some people, the idea of coming out can be scary. Some fear negative reactions or rejection from...

Sexual assault can happen to anyone, regardless of gender, age, race, sexual orientation, or ability. Sexual assault is a crime under Canadian law. People respond differently to a sexual assault. Emotions that you might experience include...

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...

How does it work? The INSTI® HIV Self-Test is an HIV antibody test which detects antibodies produced in response to HIV. Antibodies to HIV can take time to develop after an exposure. It can take 3 to 12 weeks for this test to detect...

Home pregnancy tests can be bought at a drug store. You can also go to your health care provider or a clinic to get a pregnancy test. If you are pregnant and not sure what to do, it can help to talk to someone about your options. What is...

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...

Safer Sex Being trans can sometimes mean there is already a lot to talk about with new sexual partners without adding on safer sex.  But talking about protection and STI testing is an important way to lower your chances of STIs. With...

HAART prevents the HIV virus from making copies of itself and limits how much virus is in the body. The level of virus in the blood is called ‘viral load’. When the viral load is low or “undetectable”, there is less harm to the body’s...

Causes HIV is passed through vaginal and anal sexual contact.  This includes both penetrative sex and sexual activities where there is an exchange of body fluids.  There is a very low chance that HIV may be passed through oral...

There are many types of birth control to choose from and it is important to find the method that works best for you. Most methods of birth control do not prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Condoms can lower the chances of...

Safer Sex STIs are usually less common among women who have sex with women*.  *Here women refers to individuals with vaginas or internal genitals, including trans men and non-binary individuals. The chances of getting an STI...

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...

During this time, there are very high levels of HIV in the body. This is known as a high viral load. When a person has a high viral load, they can easily pass HIV to others. Causes When a person gets HIV, the virus makes copies called CD4...

Some people clear hepatitis C from their body, meaning the virus goes away on its own. Most people will not clear the virus and hepatitis C can become a long-term (chronic) condition. However, hepatitis C can be managed and usually cured...

Safer Sex Your chances of getting an STI depend on the kind of sex you are having, whether or not you are using protection and how many other people in your group have the STI. STI testing In BC, rates of STI and HIV are high among men who...

For many people, sexual desire and pleasure is experienced throughout the lifetime; it is not uncommon for people to masturbate at any age. Your sexual desires may also change over time, and masturbation is a great way to explore different...

The goal of HIV treatment is to reach an “undetectable” viral load. This means that HIV is suppressed to such a low level that the viral load test is not able to detect any virus in the blood. “Undetectable” does not mean that there is no...

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...

Here are ten tips that will help make these conversations relevant and comfortable for all involved. These tips have been generously provided by Jennifer Gibson, Community Education Services Coordinator with Island Sexual Health.  Want to...

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...