HIV testing services

There are distinct advantages in knowing your status. Whether you are positive or negative, knowing this can inform your choices about treatment, as well as sexual, mental and physical health. We aren't pretending it's easy deciding whether or not to take an HIV test, but after reading this, perhaps you'll be clearer about what is the right decision for you.

If you find that you're negative, you might want to think about what to do to maintain this. You could discuss this with a local gay men's project, a health advisor, or a local support group.

If you are positive, knowing your status can help you make choices about your medical care, sex and how to live as healthily as possible. In recent years, there have been major medical advances in the treatment of HIV. There are drugs which can control HIV and prevent HIV related illnesses. These drugs ( Antiretrovirals,) have radically improved the quality of life of many people living with HIV. If you know your status then you can have access to this medical care and support. Some gay men with HIV have also found that taking the test has enabled them to take control over their lives, to plan how they want to live with HIV, what support they want and what their priorities are.

Some men decide not to test.They may feel that the process involved in testing is too stressful, waiting for a result worrying. There are now same day testing facilities available in some clinics that can make this easier. Others prefer not to know, because for them knowing their status makes little difference to their physical health. They feel it would have a negative impact on how others might react to their status.

People living with HIV can also face genuine discrimination. Gay men living with HIV have faced discrimination in many different ways, for example, employment, housing, getting insurance, and being able to work, study or live abroad. There can be discrimination against men with HIV on the gay scene and men may have experienced isolation from friends, family and partners.

Of course, there are lots of people who are totally supportive of people living with HIV, but it would be dishonest to pretend that discrimination and stigma doesn't exist. This may be one of the greatest barriers to testing, which is a shame as knowing your status as soon as possible may benefit your health.