Getting HIV Tested
Description
This article is from the Health Articles series.
Getting HIV Tested
It's very important that you understand the confidentiality policies of a testing center. Depending on the area where you live, there are different counseling and testing places from which you can choose. Ask your testing center how they will protect your test results. Most counseling and testing centers follow one of two policies:
Confidential Testing: The confidential testing site records your name with the test result. They will keep your record secret from everybody except medical personnel or, in some states, the state health department. You should ask who will know the result and how it will be stored. If you have your HIV antibody test done confidentially you can sign a release form to have your test result sent to your doctor.
Anonymous testing: No one asks your name. You are the only one who can tell anyone else your test result. At some centers, such as doctors' offices or clinics, information about your test result may become part of your medical record and may be seen by healthcare workers, insurers or employers. Your insurance company may know your status if you make a claim for health insurance benefits or apply for life insurance or disability insurance.
Informed Consent
You have the right to refuse any medical procedure, to be fully informed about it and to agree to it. You should be asked to read a statement saying that you have been informed about the HIV-antibody testing procedure, you understand it and you consent to have it done.
The Blood Test
A small amount of blood will be drawn from your arm, taken to a lab and tested. The time it takes to get results back varies in different areas. It can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
Negative Result
A negative result means that no HIV antibodies were found in your blood. Your condition is called seronegative. This usually means you're not infected at the time of testing. Testing negative doesn't mean you're immune to HIV. There's a small chance that you may be infected, even though you tested negative. It takes time for the body to develop HIV antibodies after infection. Almost all people develop HIV antibodies within three months, but it can take up to six months after infection for some. If you engaged in behavior that can transmit the virus during the six months just before your test, you may be infected but still test negative because your body may not yet have produced antibodies. To be sure, you must be re-tested at least six months after you last engaged in behavior that can transmit HIV.
Indeterminate Result
Once in a while, test results are unclear. The lab can't tell whether the results are positive or negative, even if the test has been performed correctly. If this happens to you, it's important that you discuss this with your counselor or doctor, and, if appropriate, be tested again. HIV-antibody test results are extremely accurate when proper procedures are followed. However, a very small number of people may test positive even though they are not infected. These are called false positive results. If you do test positive, you should discuss with your counselor or doctor whether re-testing a new blood sample is appropriate.
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