Understanding
Your Results
Your HIV status is powerful information that can keep you and the people around you healthy. That's why choosing to share your result, encouraging your partner to get tested, and being proactive about your sexual health are so important. Just keep in mind some states may have partner notification policies, which means if you test positive for HIV, you may be obligated to tell your partner(s).
Negative Result
Testing negative for HIV is just the beginning.
HIV testing is an important and normal part of self-care and sexual health.
Talk with a healthcare professional. Together you can find out what prevention options are right for you.
HIV testing is an important and normal part of self-care and sexual health.
Talk with a healthcare professional. Together you can find out what prevention options are right for you.
Positive Result
Getting a positive result can be life changing. But you're not alone. Healthcare and social service providers can help you deal with the news and make sure you find and get the HIV treatment and care you need.
Talk with a healthcare professional as soon as possible. They can help guide you to your next step, which could include a follow-up test to confirm your result.
Research shows starting HIV treatment as soon as possible—even the same day as diagnosis—could offer important health benefits. Talk to your healthcare professional to see which option is right for you.
Take your HIV medicine as prescribed. Although there is no cure, with proper treatment and care, you could live a longer, healthier life.
Talk with a healthcare professional as soon as possible. They can help guide you to your next step, which could include a follow-up test to confirm your result.
Research shows starting HIV treatment as soon as possible—even the same day as diagnosis—could offer important health benefits. Talk to your healthcare professional to see which option is right for you.
Take your HIV medicine as prescribed. Although there is no cure, with proper treatment and care, you could live a longer, healthier life.
Know Your Options
How to Prevent HIV
When it comes to lowering your chances of getting HIV, you have options. This includes using condoms with lube, safer sex practices, not sharing needles, and taking PrEP medications. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends all sexually active adults and adolescents know about PrEP. Talk to a healthcare professional to see if PrEP is right for you.
PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is medicine that reduces your chances of getting HIV from sex. There are different PrEP medication options available, some of which can be about 99% effective in reducing the chances of getting HIV when taken as prescribed.
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How to Treat HIV
Although there is no cure, people living with HIV may be able to live a longer and healthier life with proper care and taking HIV treatment as prescribed.
A major goal of HIV treatment is getting your viral load to undetectable and keeping it there. Undetectable means that there is so little virus in the blood that a lab test can't measure it. Current research shows that taking HIV treatment as prescribed and staying undetectable for at least 6 months prevents transmitting HIV to others through sex. Other ways to say that are undetectable=untransmittable (U=U) or treatment as prevention (TasP).
Starting treatment right away can have important health benefits. Talk to a healthcare professional about all your options—some treatments can even be started the same day as a diagnosis.
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