If you are HIV-positive, African Services can help you access
free health care and treatment, regardless of your immigration status
or ability to pay.
Do you know your status?
About 1 out of 4 people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States do not know that they are infected.
Most will not show signs of infection for several years, and many
people are not getting the early medical treatment they need. Knowing
your HIV status is an essential way to protect your health and your
partners.
Are you at risk?
HIV is spread through the exchange of certain body fluids—blood, semen and vaginal fluids.
This happens primarily through unprotected sex—vaginal, anal or
oral—though HIV can also be transmitted by sharing needles and other
sharp objects, or through an infected blood transfusion. HIV can also
pass from a pregnant woman to her baby during birth or breastfeeding.
You cannot be infected through casual contact, such as shaking hands
or hugging. There is also no evidence that contact with saliva, tears
or sweat has ever resulted in HIV transmission.
HIV affects children, teenagers, adults, seniors, straight and gay,
married and single people. Around the world, women are at greater risk
for infection. In African communities, HIV is most often transmitted
through heterosexual sex.
Thinking about an HIV Test?
Testing is the only way to know for sure whether you have HIV.
There is still no cure for HIV, but if you are HIV-positive, early treatment will help you stay healthy.
You should be tested for HIV if you've ever had unprotected sex, had
a sexually transmitted disease, received a blood transfusion, shared
needles or sharp instruments, had sex with a partner who is HIV
infected or who has high risk factors, such as injection drug use or
unprotected sex with others.
For pregnant women, testing is especially important. Today, most
HIV-positive women are having healthy babies, but testing and treatment
is essential. Knowing your HIV status can save your baby's life.
What to expect:
African Services provides free HIV testing with results in about 20 minutes.
You can make an appointment or drop by our offices. Our
counselors speak English, French, Spanish, Haitian Creole and many
African languages. They are trained to protect your confidentiality and
provide the information and support you need.
Testing is a three-step process:
First, a counselor will talk with you about HIV and your possible risks.
hen, they will administer a rapid or standard HIV test, depending
on your needs. You may choose an OraQuick rapid HIV test, which is done
with a finger-stick and provides results in about 20 minutes. You may
also have a standard ELISA HIV test, which requires a blood sample be
drawn and sent to a laboratory. Results are available in about two
weeks.
After you receive your HIV test results, the counselor will provide information on condom use and reducing risky behavior.
It is important to know:
If you receive an HIV-positive result with an Oraquick rapid test, a
second test is necessary to confirm the results. You must come back to
African Services two weeks later to receive the final results.
If you are HIV-positive, African Services will help you access
free health care and treatment, regardless of your immigration status
or ability to pay.
