Self-test health kits promise quick results. But what do doctors think of them?

Experts say there are upsides to home testing kits, especially for those with social or geographical barriers to accessing healthcare, but many of the over-the-counter self-test options are far less accurate than a laboratory test. Photograph: Blake Sharp-Wiggins/The Guardian

Convenient, discreet and offering results in minutes, rapid health and wellness tests are popping up on pharmacy shelves across Australia. There are pinprick blood tests for vitamin D and iron levels, urine tests for perimenopause and menopause, and multi-health kits covering urinary tract infections and a cocktail of metrics such as glucose, ketones and pH.

Most range from $5 to $30, which is cheaper than a private GP consultation fee. You don’t need to speak to a doctor or medical professional to buy one (or a whole basketful). So can a pee-on-a-stick test confirm if I’m perimenopausal? Will low ferritin (iron stores) solve the mystery of my eternal tiredness? And, if they do work, does a positive result simply mean more clinical tests down the track?