An affordable, discreet, and increasingly popular way of getting tested.
Ireland’s first online testing service, Lloyds Online Doctor , have just released data regarding the amount of Irish people that test themselves for an STI online as the taboo and stigma attached to a check up seems to be diminishing.
Almost 1,000 people searched for an online diagnosis last year with more women (57%) than men (43%) availing of this confidential service.
Dublin (43%), Cork (13%), and Limerick/Galway (4% each) were the most popular counties that availed of the websites service as patients accurately tested themselves for chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HIV from the comfort of their home.
For those that are curious, the confidential testing process requires individuals to conduct a short questionnaire before sending a sample to the laboratory for assessment.
From the findings, 57 people tested positive for chlamydia, two for gonorrhoea and one for HIV.
The most popular month for testing was March while over 50% of the patients last year were in their 20’s.
Lloyds Online Doctor general manager Stephen Bourke has said that the cheap, convenient and discreet way of testing has said that “early diagnosis means more effective treatment and significant savings for the taxpayer.”
H.T – Examiner
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