06 February 25

Ending HIV

Testing is ending HIV transmission

If knowledge is power, then learning your HIV status with a sexual health test is key to Ending HIV transmission.

Testing for HIV and STIs gives you control of your sex life, enabling you to seek treatment if you test positive for HIV and prevent further HIV transmission. So, look after yourself and your lovers, and get tested.

Since HIV testing became available in 1985 it’s fair to say there have been many innovations! Find out how things have been improving when it comes time for your next test.

Shorter waiting times for your testing results

Back in the day you needed to wait for a week for your result, but from 2012, rapid HIV testing became a great new way to find out your HIV testing results at a clinic within 30 minutes!

Rapid HIV tests have been a game changer, and they are offered in conjunction with a confirmatory full blood test at sexual health clinics, leaving no room for doubt!

Test for free

Today’s cozzie livs (cost of living for the uninitiated) means that getting access to free HIV and STI testing is more important than ever.

You can get free HIV and STI tests at any public sexual health clinic in NSW, even without Medicare. You can also get free HIV self-tests or book in with a bulk-billing GP. Learn more about all the ways you can test for free.

Test at home with HIV self-tests

Did you know about handy HIV self-test kits? With one of these kits, you can do the HIV test yourself and find out your result in 15 minutes! That’s quick.

While they’ve been available for some time overseas, it’s only in recent years that we’ve seen access and now free access to these handy little testing devices rise.

You can now order HIV self-test kits for free to your door, at an address of your choosing, or you can even find them in vending machines at select locations across NSW.

Find a test that meets your confidentiality needs

At the start of the HIV epidemic, people in Australia lost their jobs as a result of their HIV status, so many were rightfully anxious about getting tested.

This resulted in many delaying HIV testing at a time when finding out about their status would be crucial, and we now know that we need to guarantee confidentiality when accessing HIV testing and treatment for those affected.

Today you can be sure that HIV testing services across NSW are confidential, and the outcome or information relating to the appointment cannot be shared with those not involved in your care.

Some people will feel at ease with this, however, some may still prefer self-testing kits. These leave the results in your own hands – though remember that there is support available if you return a positive result.

Wherever you are, find a test!

If you’re living out west, up north, down south or in the city, there’s a place to test for you!

Find your local using our ‘Where to get tested’ tool or click the image above!

You can find testing sites in regional NSW areas too, or you can check out our tips for HIV testing in regional NSW for more info on getting tested.