HIV Prevention

Disclaimer

This website contains HIV prevention messages that may not be appropriate for all audiences. Because HIV infection is spread primarily through sexual practices or by sharing needles, prevention messages and programs may address these topics. If you are not seeking such information or may be offended by such materials, please exit now.

Visit PublicHealth.org to learn more about HIV.

Available Testing

HIV testing is available at the City-County Health Department (CCHD) on a walk-in basis Monday through Friday, 8 to 11:30 am and 1 to 4:30 pm. We offer free, confidential (only you and the clinic will know about your test), or anonymous (you can choose not to use your name) testing to qualifying individuals. We also offer offsite testing that is done at local treatment and correctional facilities.

Risk Factors

To receive free testing, an individual must meet one of the following risk factors:

  • Be a man who has sex with men (MSM)
  • Be a person who injects drugs (PWID)
  • Be a sexual partner to a MSM or PWID

If you do not meet one of these risk factors, we offer the same confidential or anonymous testing at a low cost.

Rapid Test

There are several different types of tests for HIV; at CCHD we primarily use the rapid test.

A rapid test is a screening test that produces very quick results, in approximately 20 minutes. Rapid tests use blood from a finger stick, or oral fluid, to look for the presence of antibodies to HIV. As is true for all screening tests, a reactive rapid HIV test result must be confirmed with a follow-up confirmatory test before a final diagnosis of infection can be made. These tests have similar accuracy rates as traditional enzyme immunoassay (EIA) screening tests.

Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for more information on HIV testing.

Prevention

There is no vaccine to prevent HIV infection and no cure for AIDS. It is possible to protect yourself and others from infection.

  • Abstain from sexual activity
  • Practice safer sex. Safer sex means always assuming that your partner could be HIV-infected, and never allowing his or her risky body fluids (blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and breast milk) to enter your body. Use latex or polyurethane condoms as a barrier for anal, vaginal, and oral intercourse. This helps to protect you from HIV.
  • Have sex with only one person who does not have HIV and who only has sex with you.
  • If you are pregnant and have HIV, there is medicine you can take to help protect your baby from the virus.

Case Management

Ryan White is a federally funded program that assists persons with HIV/AIDS. Within this program there are funds available, based on income and other qualifying factors, to assist with case management, AIDS drug assistance, and medical care.

Within case management, we are able to assist those who need help getting connected with a physician, housing assistance, and other outreach referrals within the community.

If you’d like more information, please call the Ryan White Case Manager at 406-791-9279.