The doctor is in-the mailbox, that is to say.
You can now do self -administered tests for everything, from thyroid function to HIV in the privacy of your own home – and this list continues to grow, because Food and Drug Administration recently approved the first cervical cancer test at home.
Although tests can facilitate access to health care and can be useful for those who have extreme anxiety about sensitive or invasive medical examinations, experts warn that most tests cannot replace a real visit in person.
Here’s what doctors say you can test at home and when you should hike your doctor’s office.
What types of home tests are available?
There are two types of “home tests”.
In one type, the patient collects the sample and sends it to a laboratory; The new cervical cancer test is like that.
The other gives an instant result – think of Covid -19 and pregnancy tests.
What are the advantages of home tests?
HIV home test kits can improve the diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections in rural communities and help nervous people with the idea of going to the doctor to ask for a sensitive test, said Dr. Joseph Cherabia, specialist in infectious diseases in Saint-Louis.
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“You really want to bring people to worry as quickly as possible, but some people could also be very worried about these results,” said Cherabia. “And they have very negative reactions.”
Laboratories are required to report a positive HIV test, instead of putting the burden on the patient who has passed the test, said Cherabie, and often the patient is paired with HIV support services.
“If you are part of a community of sexual and gender minorities, going to the office of a doctor can be full of many historical traumas, and you may prefer to do home tests without anyone judging you or asking you invasive questions about your sex life,” said Cherabie.
The new cervical cancer test – which tests strains of human papillomavirus, or HPV – implies a test stamp that is like a stamp, said Dr. Susan Modesitt, a gynecological oncologist at Emory University in Atlanta.
It is not, said Modesitt, a replacement of a PAP smear, the examination in which a metal speculum is inserted into the vagina to scrape the cells of the cervix. A visit to a doctor also involves a pelvic examination, a chance to talk about abnormal bleeding – a sign of endometrial cancer – and other symptoms and problems, such as menopause or STIs.
“There are so many other reasons to consult your doctor and take an exam outside of cervical cancer screening,” she said.
I live in a rural area – Can I take a home test?
Some home tests can replace a trip to the doctor’s office. This is particularly true in rural areas, where it can be difficult to obtain a colonoscopy.
“Coloscopy requires a preoperative, and you may lead to 70 miles,” said Dr. Steven Furr, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Family Physicians who practices in rural Alabama. “You get anesthesia. It is actually almost as a surgical procedure in many ways.
“So, for many people, it’s pretty difficult. This is where a home test can be useful.”
But, said Furr, if your test reveals problems, you should go to your doctor. In addition, patients must always discuss the results of the tests with their doctor instead of interpreting them by themselves, he said.
Who shouldn’t do home tests?
If you have symptoms of what you test, go to the doctor.
Home colon cancer tests are not the right option for people with a history of colon cancer or high-risk conditions, such as inflammatory intestine disease, Dr. Zachariah Foda, gastroenterologist at Johns Hopkins said. He added that they are not recommended for people who have gastrointestinal symptoms either.
Although there are tests for many things – from $ 15 to $ 400, according to what is evaluated – Furr said that it was essential to make sure that your test is approved by the FDA so that you can better trust the results.
“Whenever we involve people in their own health care and help them understand what’s going on, I think it’s a good thing and it gives us a chance to talk,” he said. “Any type of screening is better than no screening.”