If
you live in one of the cities listed to the right, click on your
hometown link for information about HIV counseling and testing
sites near you.
If you don't live in or near one of these cities, call 1-800-985-AIDS
for technical answers about HIV/AIDS and referrals to sources
of help in your community.
If you've shared needles or had unprotected sex and are worried
about your status, GET TESTED! A fast, free and confidential test
is available at many sites in your community.
|
|
Why should I get tested?
|
|
Young
people who are having sex are at a greater risk of getting HIV than
they think. In the US, two young people every hour contract HIV.
It is estimated that 100,000-200,000 American youth have HIV and
most don't even know it. If your test reveals that you do have HIV,
you can begin treatment that can prolong your life and greatly improve
your long-term health. If your test shows that you are HIV negative,
you will learn ways to stay negative from your testing counselor.
Either way, you win by taking the test! |
| How
long does it take to have the test and to get the results back? |
|
Generally
it takes about half an hour to speak with a testing counselor and
take an HIV test. It takes about a week to get the results of your
test. |
| What
is the test like? Does it hurt? |
|
Today
there are several ways to get tested for HIV. Tests that use urine
or fluids from your mouth don’t use needles, and are as accurate
as tests that use needles to draw blood. With these tests, you rub
a Q-tip-like swab around your mouth or provide a urine sample. But,
Blood tests are relatively painless and require less than a teaspoon
of blood. The programs that participate in the “HIV.Live
with it. Get tested!” campaign mostly use oral and urine
tests, but blood tests are also available if you prefer. |
| Can
I get AIDS from taking the test? |
|
There
is absolutely no danger of you getting HIV from taking an HIV test. |
| How
much does the test cost? |
|
The
programs that participate in the "HIV. Live with it. Get Tested!"
campaign offer free HIV testing to youth during Get Tested! Week
(December 1-9). Many offer free testing year round so, call the
programs located on this web site to find out if there is a charge
for the test during other times of the year. |
| If
I'm under 18, do I have to have my parents' permission to take the
test? |
|
Minors
can take the HIV test on their own, without their parent's permission
in almost every state. Check with your doctor or health department
to make sure.
For more information about young people’s rights to health care, visit this web site:
www.agi-usa.org/pubs/ib_minors/minors_table.html
|
| What's
the difference between "confidential" and "anonymous" testing? |
|
A
"confidential" HIV test means that the medical professionals
who handle your HIV test will keep the information about your test
private with in your medical records. When you take a "confidential"
HIV test, no one knows the results but you and your doctors. the
results will not be shared with anyone else unless you give written
permission.
An "anonymous" HIV test means that your name will not
be used in connection with your test. Instead, a code or number
is assigned to your test and you are given that code so that you
can later get the results of your test. No records are kept that
would link your name with your test. The programs that participate
in the "HIV. Live with it. Get Tested!" campaign usually
offer both "anonymous" and "confidential" testing.
|
| Facts
about HIV and young people in the U.S. |
|
|
|
|
|
