spillaggio
09-07-2009, 18:08
In June 2009, a pilot HIV testing campaign was launched for gay and bisexual men in Sheffield. The campaign aims to increase the options available on how and where to take an HIV test.
From June, as well as taking an HIV test at the GU Clinic and other sexual health services, gay and bisexual men in Sheffield will be able to order a free HIV testing kit from this website or pick a kit up from the Shout Centre. The kits involve taking a saliva sample and posting this to the hospital who will then contact you with the result.
Gay men continue to be the group in the UK who are most at risk of acquiring HIV. The Health Protection Agency estimates that up to 10,000 gay men in Britain will have HIV without knowing. They also note that many gay men (1 in 5) who have HIV are still being diagnosed late - this is at the point where they should already be on treatment. Late diagnosis brings a much higher likelihood of serious illness and premature death, it can reduce treatment options and obviously has an effect on onward transmission of the virus. It really is better to know.
In Sheffield, we have seen 19 new diagnoses of HIV amongst gay men in the past 6 months.
The latest guidelines suggest that gay men who are sexually active should have a test for HIV annually. But there may be lots of reasons why men find it difficult to go to clinics for this, and for other sexual health tests – this could be about finding the time to make and keep an appointment or being unsure, embarrassed, anxious or reluctant to visit a clinic
HIV Home Testing Kits
HIV home testing is a way of having a test without having to make an appointment
Gay and bisexual men in Sheffield will be able to order a free testing kit from www.gaysheffield.co.uk The kit will be posted out in a plain envelope and will contain a swab that you chew on for up to 5 minutes, a plastic container to put the swab in and a return envelope that you post to the clinic at the Hallamshire Hospital for testing.
Although not as accurate as a blood test, the saliva samples can tell whether there are no signs of HIV infections or if further tests might be needed to say for certain that someone has the HIV virus.
If no HIV is present in the sample, then the result of this will be sent to you by text or telephone.
If there is a need for more tests, then a health advisor from the clinic will contact you by telephone to talk about this.
The results of the test will be completely confidential and no one (including your GP) will be informed of the result without your consent.
For more information, or to order a kit please visit www.gaysheffield.co.uk
From June, as well as taking an HIV test at the GU Clinic and other sexual health services, gay and bisexual men in Sheffield will be able to order a free HIV testing kit from this website or pick a kit up from the Shout Centre. The kits involve taking a saliva sample and posting this to the hospital who will then contact you with the result.
Gay men continue to be the group in the UK who are most at risk of acquiring HIV. The Health Protection Agency estimates that up to 10,000 gay men in Britain will have HIV without knowing. They also note that many gay men (1 in 5) who have HIV are still being diagnosed late - this is at the point where they should already be on treatment. Late diagnosis brings a much higher likelihood of serious illness and premature death, it can reduce treatment options and obviously has an effect on onward transmission of the virus. It really is better to know.
In Sheffield, we have seen 19 new diagnoses of HIV amongst gay men in the past 6 months.
The latest guidelines suggest that gay men who are sexually active should have a test for HIV annually. But there may be lots of reasons why men find it difficult to go to clinics for this, and for other sexual health tests – this could be about finding the time to make and keep an appointment or being unsure, embarrassed, anxious or reluctant to visit a clinic
HIV Home Testing Kits
HIV home testing is a way of having a test without having to make an appointment
Gay and bisexual men in Sheffield will be able to order a free testing kit from www.gaysheffield.co.uk The kit will be posted out in a plain envelope and will contain a swab that you chew on for up to 5 minutes, a plastic container to put the swab in and a return envelope that you post to the clinic at the Hallamshire Hospital for testing.
Although not as accurate as a blood test, the saliva samples can tell whether there are no signs of HIV infections or if further tests might be needed to say for certain that someone has the HIV virus.
If no HIV is present in the sample, then the result of this will be sent to you by text or telephone.
If there is a need for more tests, then a health advisor from the clinic will contact you by telephone to talk about this.
The results of the test will be completely confidential and no one (including your GP) will be informed of the result without your consent.
For more information, or to order a kit please visit www.gaysheffield.co.uk