In the adult industry, regular STI testing and sexual health checkups are a mandated necessity. For many performers, however, testing resources are not as accessible as they should be. One solution is at-home testing kits. Traditional STI testing requires a visit to a doctor’s office or clinic, but all of that is changing with home STI testing, which is transforming sexual health management.
The latest testing kits are more accurate, more secure and provide faster results than ever, some within 24-48 hours of the lab receiving the sample. Beyond the added benefit of privacy, the results of these high-tech tests can in some cases rival the quality of tests performed in labs or clinics, lending this streamlined process an undeniable economic benefit for individual performers and for the adult industry at large, as well as reducing the access barrier.
By enabling early detection, reduced health care costs and minimized downtime, home STI tests can help adult performers be healthier and earn more, while making the industry as productive as it can be.
Better Access in Rural Areas
For adult performers who live in rural areas or who lack access to local STI clinics, getting tested every two weeks — as is often the requirement for shooting on most sets — can be difficult. Since the lab services are brought directly to you, home-collected tests eliminate transportation costs and save time.
Additionally, in some rural areas, multisite swab tests are not always guaranteed, and single-site swabs can sometimes miss a diagnosis, particularly for chlamydia and gonorrhea. Contrary to what some believe, analyzing a multi-swab test does not have to be more expensive than analyzing a single-swab one, but can improve testing coverage without impacting cost.
Less Downtime and Enhanced Earnings
Early detection is an essential part of managing an STI. A rapid response stops infections from worsening, which minimizes the chance of performers requiring more substantial and expensive treatments down the line. Early detection and televisits also save time for adult performers, which translates into more working opportunities.
Likewise, home tests reduce the wasted time resulting from misdiagnosis and healing from infections that were not detected promptly. Faster turnaround of results is also a benefit; some labs can take several days to a week to get back to patients and do not offer the option of results via email, which is often more convenient than receiving a phone call. With tests that can be completed from the comfort of home, adult performers and creators can integrate STI checks into their schedules without interruption when they need them most and have results in a couple of days maximum.
Reduced Expenses and More Productivity for Companies
When performers are given more autonomy, it creates a better environment for the entire adult industry, and reduces expenses for the companies that cover the costs of these STI kits for performers. Thanks to evolving technologies and improved scaling, home STI tests are becoming smaller, more affordable and easier to self-administer than ever before.
Home collection methods also reduce administrative hassles connected to scheduling and managing blood and sample collection visits. Performers need not book time off to get tested; instead, they simply get a kit mailed to them, mail their samples back and receive the results online as soon as they are available.
Remote Consultations and More Frequent Testing
In the case of a positive test result, professional support is provided as a follow-up, either direct or by referral. The integration of telemedicine, which is often provided alongside home STI tests, allows for remote expert consultations where performers can ask questions, receive advice and get prescriptions from a single source.
Testing using home/remote collection promotes a culture of regular testing, which makes for a healthier workforce. Production companies can then directly benefit from working with performers who do not just regularly prioritize their health but are more consistent, available and reliable, making the filming process run more smoothly. Additionally, performers who are confident in their health can offer their best performance, which means better and more profitable content.
Lower Health Insurance Premiums
Home collection and testing not only offer financial benefits for individual performers, but also for companies that offer health insurance plans to their employees. Insurance companies assess risk based on a group’s frequency and severity of health issues, so a clean bill of health often leads to lower health insurance premiums for adult industry workers. Funds saved in these areas can be redirected toward other important, ethical aspects of a well-functioning set, like safety measures and performer education.
Note, however, that although some insurance companies cover the costs of at-home STI tests, this is not always the case.
Prioritizing Performer Well-Being
In the adult industry, health and availability are paramount. This makes home STI tests a smart investment for helping to secure the future of everyone involved. As the industry normalizes and embraces home-collection STI tests, it can set a new standard for individual performer well-being, generating a positive ripple effect throughout the entire industry.
By enabling early detection, reduced health care costs and minimized downtime, home STI tests can help adult performers be healthier and earn more, while making the industry as productive as it can be.
Andreas M. Kogelnik, MD, PhD, is an award-winning infectious disease specialist with decades of clinical and research experience, from merging Big Data with molecular science to researching the prehuman genome and diagnostics of infectious diseases. Dr. Kogelnik serves as CEO of BasisDx, which created the first-ever PASS-certified at-home STI test kit, Pro13.
