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| 5. Improved Testing and Counseling Everyone needs to know their HIV serostatus in order to make decisions about their health care and behaviors; such informed decisions could decrease the number of new infections. Yet, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 180,000 and 280,000 people in the United States are HIV positive and do not know it — approximately one-third of those living with the virus in the United States. There are multiple and complex reasons why people do not learn their HIV status. Many people are unaware of their risk and see no need for testing. Testing programs may have locations, hours, or costs that make them inconvenient or inaccessible. Further, not all health care providers are equipped or prepared to offer counseling and testing services. Fear and concerns about privacy, stigma, and discrimination are still significant obstacles to testing. Additionally, when rapid HIV tests are not used, the waiting period between the time of testing and receiving the results discourages many people from returning. Advances in testing, most importantly the approval of rapid HIV tests by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), provide an opportunity to receive fast, accurate results and expand testing availability. Testing providers should use rapid HIV tests whenever possible. Also, HIV testing and counseling should be bundled with testing for other sexually transmitted diseases. AIDS Action will work with its members, coalition partners, and the Administration to support improved voluntary testing and counseling programs that encourage all individuals to know their HIV status. [back to introduction] |