Firstly, please consider this…”THE United States has authorised sales of the first over-the-counter home testing kit for HIV, the virus that leads to AIDS.”
This means if you are concerned about HIV and wish to take an HIV test, you can purchase from an HIV home test kit from your local pharmacy. It’s convenient, safe and accurate. It simply leads to more people being tested for HIV and sooner.
Sadly in Australia we are still some way from this and only recently has Australia started using rapid test kits, something most developed countries have been using for several years now.
However these HIV home test kits can be purchased online and once delivered allow the user to test for HIV in privacy at their own convenience. This will ultimately capture a small % of the population that know they are at risk, but choose not to test through conventional methods. These methods whilst seen by the establishment as more effective, are often slower, leading to anxiety and involve some privacy issues which can ultimately result in some individuals simply not testing for HIV.
Let us consider one scenario of a HIV testing profile. An attached male has returned from Bali after having a sexual encounter with a local girl. Their HIV rate is extremely high, with many knowingly carrying the virus yet still working as sex workers or so called casual girlfriends. This individual may shy away from HIV testing through his family doctor for obvious reasons and may be concerned regarding privacy of his test if seen at a testing centre. HIV self-testing is certainly logical alternate if the individual is not going to test through a medical centre.
There are many other profiles that indicate why this progressive and globally accepted HIV testing method must be embraced.