January has a unique energy. The calendar resets, gyms fill up, and planners get a fresh first page. It is also one of the highest intent months of the year for preventive care. People are more motivated to “start clean” and get ahead of their health, not just react when something goes wrong.
That mindset is especially important for sexual health, HIV, hepatitis, and liver health. Many of the most serious conditions in these areas are silent at first. You can feel completely fine while infections or liver damage slowly progress in the background. Screening is how you bring those hidden risks into the light, when they are most treatable and often fully preventable.
At Reza Health, with locations in Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, and Ormond Beach, the team specializes in HIV medicine, hepatitis care, sexual wellness, and inclusive, people centered internal medicine. The goal is simple: make routine HIV testing, liver screening, and STI testing easy, stigma free, and part of a normal, proactive health routine.
If you are ready to invest in yourself in 2026, these are the five screenings to put at the top of your list.
1. HIV Testing: Know Your Status, Own Your Health
Why HIV testing belongs in your January plan
HIV testing is one of the most powerful preventive tools you can schedule early in the year. When HIV is caught early and treated with modern antiretroviral therapy (ART), people can live long, healthy lives, often with an undetectable viral load that also prevents sexual transmission.
HIV testing is especially important if you:
- Have new or multiple sexual partners
- Have ever had unprotected sex (oral, vaginal, or anal)
- Share injection equipment, or have a partner who does
- Are you a man who has sex with men, or are you part of a community with higher HIV rates
- Have another STI or a partner with HIV
Reza Health offers rapid, confidential HIV testing in Jacksonville, with supportive follow up care, whether your result is negative (including PrEP and PEP options) or positive (full spectrum HIV treatment).
Turning testing into prevention
HIV testing works best when it is part of a bigger prevention plan:
- PrEP (preexposure prophylaxis): A daily pill or long acting injection that can reduce the risk of sexual HIV transmission by up to 99% when taken correctly.
- PEP (postexposure prophylaxis): A short course of medication started within 72 hours after a potential exposure to reduce the chance of infection.
Starting the year with HIV testing in Jacksonville means you are not guessing you are informed and protected.
2. Comprehensive STI Testing: Because One Test Is Not Enough
STIs are common and often silent
Sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and others are far more common than most people realize, and many cause few or no symptoms at first. You cannot rely on “how you feel” to know if you are clear.
A comprehensive STI testing panel may include:
- HIV
- Syphilis
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
- Hepatitis B and C
- Other tests based on your anatomy and sexual practices
At Reza Health, STI testing is designed to be quick, discreet, and judgment free, with options for individual tests if you are worried about a specific exposure or symptom. Regular STI testing is essential if you are sexually active, have new partners, or are in nonmonogamous relationships.
Why January is a smart time for STI testing
The holiday season can mean travel, parties, and new or casual encounters. January is the ideal time to check in with your sexual health, treat infections early if they are present, and start 2026 with clarity and peace of mind.
3. Hepatitis Screening: Protect Your Liver, Protect Your Future
Hepatitis and HIV: a powerful overlap
Hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) are viral infections that target the liver and can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, or liver cancer if left untreated. People living with HIV are at higher risk of liver related complications if they also have hepatitis, and many risk factors overlap: sexual exposure, injection drug use, and shared equipment.
Current guidelines recommend:
- Universal hepatitis B screening for all adults at least once in their life, with follow up vaccination if not immune.
- Onetime hepatitis C testing for all adults, with repeat testing for those with ongoing risk factors such as HIV or injection drug use.
Hepatitis care at Reza Health
Reza Health is recognized in North Florida for expertise in hepatitis C awareness, testing, and treatment, along with broader liver health campaigns like World Liver Day. If testing shows hepatitis B or C, the team can design a treatment and monitoring plan tailored to your liver health, HIV status, and overall wellness.
For many people, January is a natural moment to finally act on that “I should really get my liver checked” thought.
4. Liver Function and Liver Screening in Jacksonville
Why your liver deserves attention in 2026
Your liver handles detoxification, metabolism, and countless biochemical processes that keep you alive. Conditions like fatty liver disease, alcohol related liver disease, and chronic viral hepatitis can quietly injure the liver for years before symptoms appear.
Liver screening may include:
- Liver function blood tests (AST, ALT, bilirubin, and more)
- Viral hepatitis testing (HBV, HCV)
- Imaging or elastography if there are concerns about fibrosis or cirrhosis
At Reza Health, liver screening in Jacksonville is often integrated with sexual health, HIV, and hepatitis care, recognizing how closely these areas are connected. For example, someone starting HIV treatment or PrEP may benefit from baseline liver tests and ongoing monitoring, especially if other risk factors are present.
Linking everyday choices and liver health
Screening is also an opportunity to talk about alcohol use, medications, supplements, and metabolic health (like diabetes or high cholesterol) that influence liver function. Early detection and lifestyle support can dramatically change the long term picture for your liver.
5. Metabolic and General Health Screenings: Looking at the Whole Picture
Beyond infections: the rest of your labs
A truly preventive 2026 plan does not stop at infections. Important baseline and follow up labs may include:
- Blood pressure and cardiovascular risk assessment
- Blood sugar and A1c for diabetes and prediabetes
- Cholesterol and triglycerides
- Kidney function tests
For people on HIV medications, PrEP, or other long term therapies, these labs help monitor how treatment and lifestyle interact, so your care team can adjust as needed. At Reza Health, this is part of a “whole person” model that connects sexual wellness, chronic conditions, and mental health instead of treating them in isolation.
January as your baseline month
Scheduling these labs early in the year gives you a clear baseline. When you retest later in 2026, you will be able to see the real impact of the changes you made, whether that is starting HIV PrEP, improving nutrition, drinking less alcohol, or addressing a new diagnosis.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
If you are sexually active with new or multiple partners, yearly HIV testing is the minimum; more frequent testing (every 3–6 months) is recommended for higherrisk individuals, such as men who have sex with men or people on PrEP.
Yes. Many STIs are silent, especially chlamydia, gonorrhea, and early syphilis. Regular STI testing is a core part of sexual health, even when you feel well.
Liver screening in Jacksonville often includes blood tests to check liver enzymes and function, hepatitis testing, and additional imaging or specialist followup if needed. Your provider will tailor testing to your risks and medications.
Yes. Modern hepatitis C treatments are highly effective and can often cure the infection with a short course of oral medication in eligible patients, significantly reducing the risk of longterm liver damage.
Many conditions (HIV, hepatitis, early liver disease, some STIs) cause no symptoms until complications appear. Screening in a highintent month like January lets you catch issues early, when treatments are simpler, and outcomes are better.
Summary
January is more than a time for resolutions; it is a chance to reset your health with intention. By prioritizing HIV testing, comprehensive STI screening, hepatitis testing, liver screening, and general metabolic labs, you give yourself the best possible starting point for 2026.
With its focus on inclusive, evidence based, people-centered care, Reza Health is well positioned to guide patients in Jacksonville and across North Florida through these screenings in a way that feels respectful, affirming, and practical for real life.
Ready to Prioritize Your Screening Plan for 2026?
If you are ready to turn good intentions into concrete action, Reza Health is here to make preventive care simple and stigma free. From HIV testing in Jacksonville and full STI panels to hepatitis care and liver screening, every visit is designed around your comfort, your questions, and your goals.
Start your year with clarity instead of uncertainty. Book your appointment with Reza Health online or by contacting one of the Jacksonville area clinics and take a confident, informed step into 2026 with a screening plan that truly supports your health. Your future self will thank you.