Recognizing HIV Infection--The Role of Home Testing

Ralph R. Frerichs

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DOI: 10.2190/GM9Q-2YWP-FM6X-JJN7

Abstract

Early detection of HIV is important, both to start timely treatment and to avoid further viral transmission. Yet for many people, discovering possible infection is overly cumbersome and time consuming. To learn early of viral presence, sexually active persons would need to take time off from work to repeatedly seek clinic-based testing and counseling, perhaps every three to six months. Testing for HIV at home is more convenient and certainly is more anonymous. Home HIV tests serve as personal screening tools for those concerned with HIV risk, indicating when positive the need for additional confirmatory testing and counseling in medical settings. If used widely, home HIV tests would enable many more HIV infected persons to learn of their infection, come for medical care, and to use preventive actions to avoid further viral spread. To this end, promoting home HIV testing is an important assistance strategy for both medicine and public health.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.