Almost 1.2 million people in the US are living with HIV. However, research shows that more than 160,000 of them are unaware of their status. According to the CDC, nearly 40% of new HIV infections are transmitted by people who don’t know they have the virus.
For many, there are several reasons that can prevent them from getting a test. Some of them are fear of death, stigma and discrimination, or negative judgment in case of a positive test.
However, taking a test is the first step in determining your status. This is important information that will help you manage your health and prevent the viral infection that can cause AIDS.
Rejection matters
For Seattle-based Kelly Gluckman, HIV was the last thing she thought about when she stopped using condoms with her partner almost 11 years ago without being tested for the virus first.
“I knew it wasn’t the smartest decision,” reflects Gluckman, 34.
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She was 23 years old at the time, and although she knew about HIV testing through extensive sex education at school, as a “white, straight woman” she said she had simply never seen herself at risk of HIV. But after about 6 months of unprotected sex, Gluckman and her partner decided to get a precautionary test to rule out HIV.
“We both tested positive on October 25, 2010. We were both pretty devastated,” says Gluckman.
“The immediate thought was, ‘Oh my god, I’m going to die. ‘That was really the first thought. I faced mortality because “HIV turns into AIDS and then you die”. This is exactly what I was instilled by what I saw in the media and what I learned in school, ”says Gluckman.
Thinking back on it, Gluckman says that refusal played a role in the reluctance to get a test.
“For 3 of those 6 months we talked about getting tested and then we just wouldn’t do it,” says Gluckman.
Outdated perceptions
David Pantalone, a professor of psychology at the University of Massachusetts at Boston, says that many people still tend to have “a frightening view of it [HIV]. “He believes this may have something to do with outdated pictures and stories about HIV from the 1980s.
“I think there is no revised public perception of what it’s like to have HIV,” says Pantalone. “The reason for this is that what it looks like to have HIV now is basically what it looks like not to have HIV. Life expectancy data between HIV-positive and HIV-negative people are not really different. “
Treatment gives hope
While HIV has no cure, the treatment, antiretroviral therapy (ART), is highly effective. It lowers the amount of HIV virus in your body or your viral load. If you take the medicine as directed by your doctor, the viral load may become so low that it will no longer be “detectable” in an HIV test. In this case, there is little chance that the infection will develop symptoms or pass them on to others. You can usually get HIV under control with medication in just under 6 months.
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Gluckman saw positive results soon after starting her medication.
“I had no side effects to speak of. And my viral load became undetectable within 2 months, ”says Gluckman.
“I was like, ‘Oh my god, I’ll live, I can be healthy with this thing, with this virus.'”
When should you get an HIV test?
The CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 have an HIV test at least once in their life. You can usually do this during your annual health check-up. If you haven’t had the test, ask your doctor about it.
If you’re at higher risk, you’ll need to be tested more often – every 3 or 6 months to be sure. However, Pantalone says the lack of testing is also due to the fact that people at high risk for the disease “fit into an identity” when it comes to a virus spread through common human behavior such as sex.
“If you’ve had sex with someone without a condom, you need an HIV test. Even if the risk is small, you should still do it regularly because you will never know, ”says Pantalone.
According to the CDC, if you can answer “yes” to any of the following questions, you are at higher risk of developing HIV:
- Are you a man who has had sex with another man?
- Have you had sex – anal or vaginal – with someone who has HIV?
- Have you had more than one sex partner since your last HIV test?
- Have you shared needles, injectable drugs, or other drug injection devices?
- Did you have sex in exchange for drugs or money?
- Have you been diagnosed or treated for any other sexually transmitted diseases?
- Have you been diagnosed with or treated for hepatitis or tuberculosis (TB)?
- Have you had sex with someone whose sexual history you do not know?
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If this applies to you, you can benefit from an annual HIV test even if your last test was negative.
If you’re pregnant, ask your doctor about an HIV test. If you have HIV during pregnancy, tell your doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor can give you the right medications to keep you and your baby healthy.
It is also good practice to get tested for HIV and know your status before you have sex with a new partner for the first time. It’s always a good idea to ask about your sexual and drug use history before engaging in sex. If you live with HIV, tell them your status. If you are unsure about your partner’s HIV status, be sure to wear a condom. This can help protect your health or prevent others from getting the infection.
What to ask your doctor
If you think you may be exposed to HIV or have symptoms, talk to your doctor as soon as possible. Having an HIV test or talking to your doctor about HIV can be both uncomfortable and stressful. But when you are prepared, you can handle it better.
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Bring a list of questions so that you can get the most reliable information. This can help your doctor come up with a treatment plan that works best for you.
Even if you find you do not have HIV, it is still a good time to ask questions and learn more about how to avoid the possibility of HIV infection. You can ask questions like:
- How can I protect myself from HIV?
- How often should i be tested?
- Does my sex partner need a test too?
- Do you offer advice on HIV prevention or do you recommend a place that does it?
If you don’t want to go alone, ask a friend or family member to join you for emotional support. If you are diagnosed with HIV, your doctor can point you to many resources to provide you with the help and treatment you need to control the infection.
When you are trying to convince a close friend or loved one to get tested for HIV, Pantalone can help think about how knowing their HIV status or testing for it can spread it to others who have know them, can prevent.
You are more than just a virus
According to Pantalone, stigma and inadequate care can also arise among health care providers. But he says it’s best not to let it bother you.
“I think people who are in ongoing healthcare and want to start getting tested for HIV should discuss this with their provider. And if this provider doesn’t support it, switch, ”says Pantalone. “Going to an organization that specifically serves the HIV community is a great way to respond with open arms and without judgment.”
Ultimately, Gluckman says that when you test positive for HIV, it’s important to remember that when you test positive for HIV, you are more than just the virus in your body.
“You have a virus. Just like any other bacterium, any other virus. You are worthy of respect, you are worthy of love, you are worthy of health, you are worthy of good sex. HIV is just the virus. “
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