June 22, 2005

Panhandle Health District Urges HIV Testing for Those at High Risk

National HIV Testing Week shines spotlight on taking control of your health

If you have ever had unprotected sex or shared needles, then you should consider getting a confidential HIV test.

National HIV Testing Week will be June 27-July 1 and the emphasis this year is on taking control of your health and your life through testing.

Panhandle Health District offers free, confidential HIV counseling and testing. To schedule an appointment or learn more information about HIV counseling and testing, contact the PHD office in your local area. Phone numbers are listed below.

In 2004, two people tested positive for HIV in the five northern counties. In 2003, that number was 11 and in 2002, 16 people tested positive.

"It is likely that fewer people tested positive in 2004 than in previous years because fewer people were tested, rather than HIV becoming more rare," said PHD's sexually transmitted disease program coordinator, Donna Marshall-Holden. "We urge people, particularly those in high-risk categories, to take control of their health and to come in to be tested, both for their sake and the sake of their loved ones."  

National HIV Testing Day is an annual campaign produced by the National Association of People with AIDS to encourage at-risk individuals to receive voluntary HIV counseling and testing.

Evidence suggests that HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, has been in the United States at least since 1978. The following are known risk factors for HIV infection. If you answer yes to any of these questions, you should definitely seek counseling and testing.

You may be at increased risk of infection if any of the following apply to you:

• Have you injected drugs or steroids or shared equipment (such as needles, syringes, cotton, water) with others?

• Have you had unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex with men who have sex with men or anonymous partners?

• Have you exchanged sex for drugs or money?

• Have you been diagnosed with or treated for hepatitis, tuberculosis (TB), or a sexually transmitted disease (STD), like syphilis, genital warts, herpes or chlamydia?

• Have you had unprotected sex with someone who would answer yes to any of the above questions?

If you have had sex with someone whose history of risk-taking behavior is unknown to you or if you or they may have had many sex partners, then you have increased the chances that you might be HIV infected.

If you plan to become pregnant, counseling and testing is even more important. If a woman is infected with HIV, medical therapies are available to lower the chance of passing HIV to the infant before, during, or after birth.  

More information is available at www.cdc.gov and www.hivtest.org, or contact your local PHD office:

Benewah County - 245-4556
Bonner County - 263-5159
Boundary County - 267-5558
Kootenai County - 415-5100
Shoshone County - 786-7474