1. Life or Death Issues
The importance of HIV and AIDS testing in the past two decades has become a crucial concern for many communities. The deaths of millions of people have opened the world's eyes to this horrible epidemic. Luckily, doctors have developed some tools to keep the public forewarned of infection. AIDS and HIV testing should be done by anyone who is sexually active. It's especially important for at risk populations like: men who have sex with men, intravenous drug users, people with multiple sex partners, and people who engage in unprotected non-monogamous sexual activity. Knowledge of the infection can mean life or death, so testing should be done at least every 3-6 months. Every partner and date should be recorded for security sake. Most clinics or doctors offices provide free AIDS and HIV education materials. You can also talk about the dangers associated with high risk sexual behaviors with a health care professional. Frequent testing is the only way to know about possible infection, and abstinence from risky sexual or drug related behaviors can also help.
2. Waiting Game
HIV or AIDS testing can take a week or ten minutes, depending on where you get tested. Many clinics and health departments offer rapid testing, which tests for HIV antibodies within ten minutes. Some tests must be sent to labs for analysis and can take up to a week for results. Some individuals find waiting to be nerve wrecking and prefer to know preliminary antibody tests immediately, while other people are relatively sure of their negative prognosis and don't mind waiting for a more definitive result. HIV tests typically use blood or saliva to determine exposure to HIV antibodies. These antibodies typically will show up in a person's blood stream anywhere from 2-8 weeks after exposure to the virus. However. some individuals can develop the virus sooner or later, depending upon immune efficiency. RNA tests can detect antibodies within 9-11 days, but these tests can be expensive and difficult to find.
3. I Don't Want Everyone to Know
Many people want HIV testing to be a private, anonymous matter. With that in mind, many clinics offer anonymous testing to people who wish to keep their identity and testing status confidential. However, many states require HIV positive patients to register with the state health department to ensure proper management by local communities. Calling ahead at a clinic or testing center to inquire about their confidentiality policy is a good idea if privacy is an issue. Various community educational and promotional programs often give completely free and confidential HIV testing. If you test positive, it's crucial to let any and all sexual partners know. It's important to remember HIV is not a death sentence and you have nothing to feel shameful about. Nonetheless, education and proper health is important, so keep your health care providers informed.
