Last Updated on July 29, 2021 by Debra Rose Wilson, PhD, MSN, RN, IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT
Free STI/STD Testing
National HIV Testing Day (NHTD) is an annual campaign originally coordinated by the National Association of People with AIDS to encourage people of all ages to “Take the Test, Take Control” and is now continued by a number of other organizations supporting HIV testing.
Too many people don’t know they have HIV.
In the United States, nearly 1.2 million people are living with HIV, and almost one in five don’t know they have it.
Getting STI/STD testing is the first step to finding out if you have HIV.
If you have HIV, getting medical care and taking medicines regularly helps you live a longer, healthier life and also lowers the chances of passing HIV on to others.
STI Masterclass: Breaking Through the Fear, Shame, and Stigma of an STI Diagnosis
If you’re fed up with feeling unworthy, less-than, damaged, or limited by your STI, then join the next cohort in the 60-Day Masterclass, and leave feeling empowered, knowledgable, and confident again!
Click Here to Learn More
Planned Parenthood is Offering Free HIV Testing for the Entire Week
Planned Parenthood (PP) will offer Free HIV Testing during National Free HIV Testing Week.
Testing is by appointment during regular business hours, with walk-ins accepted only if there are openings available. People should call 800.230.PLAN (7526) to contact their nearest PP Health Center to make an appointment.
PP features the Rapid HIV test by Alere®.
Testing is confidential, done with a simple finger poke, and results are available in just 20 minutes.
Find Other Locations Offering Free HIV Testing & STI/STD Testing
To find additional STI/STD testing centers offering free HIV testing near you, use the find an event near you page!
NHTD is an opportunity for people nationwide to learn their HIV status, and to gain knowledge to take control of their health and their lives.
- Information about STI Testing
- At-Home STI Testing
- Free or Low Cost STD Testing Globally
- What It’s Like to Get Tested
- HIV Specific Blog Posts
- How to Not Give an Eff about Having an STI
References
- Symptoms
- Earnshaw, Valerie A., et al. “HIV stigma and physical health symptoms: Do social support, adaptive coping, and/or identity centrality act as resilience resources?.” AIDS and Behavior 19.1 (2015): 41-49.
- Lyon, Maureen E., et al. “Advance care planning and HIV symptoms in adolescence.” Pediatrics 142.5 (2018): e20173869.
- Garey, Lorra, et al. “Anxiety, depression, and HIV symptoms among persons living with HIV/AIDS: the role of hazardous drinking.” AIDS care 27.1 (2015): 80-85.
- Webel, Allison R., et al. “A cross-sectional relationship between social capital, self-compassion, and perceived HIV symptoms.” Journal of pain and symptom management 50.1 (2015): 59-68.
- Braksmajer, Amy, et al. “Effects of Discrimination on HIV-Related Symptoms in Heterosexual Men of Color.” American journal of men’s health 12.6 (2018): 1855-1863.
- Testing
- World Health Organization. Guidelines on HIV self-testing and partner notification: supplement to consolidated guidelines on HIV testing services. World Health Organization, 2016.
- Arya, Monisha, et al. “The Promise of Patient-Centered Text Messages for Encouraging HIV Testing in an Underserved Population.” The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care: JANAC 29.1 (2018): 101-106.
- Greensides, Dawn R., et al. “Alternative HIV testing methods among populations at high risk for HIV infection.” Public health reports (2016).
- Granich, Reuben M., et al. “Universal voluntary HIV testing with immediate antiretroviral therapy as a strategy for elimination of HIV transmission: a mathematical model.” The Lancet 373.9657 (2009): 48-57.
- Kalichman, Seth C., and Leickness C. Simbayi. “HIV testing attitudes, AIDS stigma, and voluntary HIV counselling and testing in a black township in Cape Town, South Africa.” Sexually transmitted infections 79.6 (2003): 442-447.
- Treatment
- Cihlar, Tomas, and Marshall Fordyce. “Current status and prospects of HIV treatment.” Current opinion in virology 18 (2016): 50-56.
- Gonzalez, Jeffrey S., et al. “Depression and HIV/AIDS treatment nonadherence: a review and meta-analysis.” Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999) 58.2 (2011).
- Callaghan, Mike, Nathan Ford, and Helen Schneider. “A systematic review of task-shifting for HIV treatment and care in Africa.” Human resources for health 8.1 (2010): 8.
- Benjamin, Laura A., et al. “HIV, antiretroviral treatment, hypertension, and stroke in Malawian adults: a case-control study.” Neurology 86.4 (2016): 324-333.
- Levi, Jacob, et al. “Can the UNAIDS 90-90-90 target be achieved? A systematic analysis of national HIV treatment cascades.” BMJ global health 1.2 (2016): e000010.
- Prevention
- Cohen, Myron S., et al. “Antiretroviral therapy for the prevention of HIV-1 transmission.” New England Journal of Medicine 375.9 (2016): 830-839.
- World Health Organization. Policy brief: Consolidated guidelines on HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care for key populations. No. WHO/HIV/2017.05. World Health Organization, 2017.
- Baeten, Jared M., et al. “Use of a vaginal ring containing dapivirine for HIV-1 prevention in women.” New England Journal of Medicine 375.22 (2016): 2121-2132.
- Fowler, Mary G., et al. “Benefits and risks of antiretroviral therapy for perinatal HIV prevention.” New England Journal of Medicine 375.18 (2016): 1726-1737.
- World Health Organization. “Consolidated guidelines on HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care for key populations–2016 update.” (2016).
- Transmission
- Rodger, Alison J., et al. “Sexual activity without condoms and risk of HIV transmission in serodifferent couples when the HIV-positive partner is using suppressive antiretroviral therapy.” Jama 316.2 (2016): 171-181.
- Landefeld, C. C., et al. “Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Yaounde: Barrier to Care.” AIDS care 30.1 (2018): 116-120.
- Zafer, Maryam, et al. “Effectiveness of semen washing to prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission and assist pregnancy in HIV-discordant couples: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Fertility and sterility 105.3 (2016): 645-655.
- Cohen, Myron S., et al. “Antiretroviral therapy for the prevention of HIV-1 transmission.” New England Journal of Medicine 375.9 (2016): 830-839.
- Poon, Art FY, et al. “Near real-time monitoring of HIV transmission hotspots from routine HIV genotyping: an implementation case study.” The lancet HIV 3.5 (2016): e231-e238.
