Can a person be tested for HIV without going to a doctor?
Yes. A home testing kit is available at most pharmacies or
by mail order. You prick your finger with a lancet and mail the blood
sample to a lab. Three to seven business days later, you phone a toll-free
number and, using a code included in the kit, access the results
anonymously. Home
Access is available online or by phoning 800-HIV-TEST. It might be
prudent to be tested more than once, in case of error. If you're afraid of
needles, there's an HIV test called OraSure that requires nothing more than placing a cotton pad
between your cheek and gum for two minutes (check with your doctor or
health department, or phone 800-672-7873 for information).
|