Heather Little-White, Ph.D., Contributor

The number of people living with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) continues to increase worldwide. The Caribbean, in particular, is the second-most affected region in the world. Testing for HIV has been the subject of fierce discussion in Jamaica in recent times. Testing is necessary because you can never tell who is HIV-positive. A person who is HIV-positive may be young or old, skinny or plump, and may have a beautiful face or a well-toned body. Anybody with whom you interact at home, school, work or church could by HIV-positive.

Simple test

Not many persons are aware of what a test for HIV/AIDS entails.

One way to assess exposure to HIV through unprotected sex is to do a simple test for HIV. It may take up to six months or longer to test HIV-positive after initial exposure to HIV. It is also possible that a test may be wrong when the results are false negative or false positive. In this regard, it is recommended that additional tests be done.

Although HIV is not contagious in terms of touching and eating with each other, there are good reasons for getting tested for HIV if you have been sexually active without the use of a condom. You have a right to know if you are HIV positive. If you learn from the test that you are carrying the virus, you can better take of your health with the appropriate medication and other special care strategies. For example, if you are HIV-positive and have tuberculosis (TB) infection, you can get treatment to prevent progression to TB disease. If you are HIV-positive, your partner needs to know and precautions should be taken to prevent the virus being passed on.

Informed decisions

Testing for HIV also facilitates informed decision-making about safe sexual practices. There is a risk of HIV transmission from mother to her baby during pregnancy, birth or breastfeeding. People who are worried about HIV may benefit from learning about their status as well as receiving emotional and psychological support from counselling from trained counsellors and support groups.

HIV testing is important to ensure a safe blood supply when blood or organs are donated. HIV testing tells if someone is infected with HIV as some people are asymptomatic (have no symptoms). The test looks for antibodies of HIV. Antibodies are proteins provided by the immune system to fight a specific germ. If you feel that you may have been exposed to HIV and you get HIV-tested, it may take months for antibodies to show. This is because you may be in the window period, which is, the body is not producing enough antibodies to be detected by the test. Tests may prove negative and should be repeated within six months to confirm results.

A variety of HIV tests are available. The most common test for HIV is a blood test. Newer testing methods allow for detection of HIV antibodies in other body fluids such as urine or by scraping inside the cheek.

Involuntary testing. HIV testing can result in human rights violations. It is against the law for anyone - spouse, parents, school or employer to force a person to take the HIV test. Employers do not reserve the right to test potential employees for HIV. There is a way of sneaking in the HIV test without a person's consent when a series of blood tests is authorised and HIV is included. You should be advised of the tests to be done and your consent should be given for all.

Voluntary and confidential testing. Persons, who are motivated to take an HIV test voluntarily, may reduce the risk of transmission for themselves and others. Your name is recorded for the procedure. Usually it is promised that the test results will be confidential and the HIV status will not be revealed to anyone else. However, if the test is HIV positive, confidentiality is not always observed as results may be leaked to parents, teachers, spouses, insurance agencies and future employees. In the process of AIDS management, voluntary testing is an important starting point to HIV prevention and care while respecting the rights of all concerned.

Anonymous testing. Where available, this is the surest way of ensuring privacy with an HIV test. Your identification is by a code number without personal details. Results may be requested directly from the place of testing via ID number. In developed countries, home HIV test kits may be purchased from drug stores. The tests are completely anonymous as they are done at home. The instructions are to prick the finger and place a few drops blood on a test card which is mailed to a testing facility. Each packet has a code number which is used to secure results within three to seven days.

Testing positive

What if your HIV test is positive? It means that you have antibodies and you are infected with HIV. However, a positive test for HIV does not mean that you have AIDS. A positive HIV test means that you can live healthily for several years with proper medication, diet, exercise and counselling.

However, a positive test for HIV can be shocking and the results may be very difficult for persons to accept. Denial is the first reaction and this leads to anger as people fear stigma, rejection and discrimination by family, friends and community. While encouraging HIV testing, consideration must be given to the availability of support agencies, including counselling, to help persons deal with the psychological consequences of finding out that one is HIV positive.