Had sex with an HIV-positive person or someone with an unknown HIV statusShared needles, syringes, and other equipment for injecting drugs with other peopleHad sex in exchange for drugs or moneyHave been diagnosed with or treated for other sexually transmitted infections, which increase your risk of contracting HIVHave been diagnosed or treated for hepatitis or tuberculosisHave had more than one sexual partner since your last HIV testHave had sex with someone for whom any of the above applies, or you had sex with someone whose sexual history you don’t know
If you are the victim of sexual assault, it’s important to get tested. Which test you take depends on how recently you think you may have been exposed to HIV, how long you want to wait for results, and where you take the test. Under the Affordable Care Act, HIV testing is covered by health insurance without a copay. If you’re uninsured, check the CDC’s HIV service locator to find free or low-cost testing options.
Rapid Self-Test This is done completely at home and can provide results within 20 minutes. The only rapid self-test currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration is OraQuick, an oral fluid test.Mail-In Self-Test With this finger-stick test, you send your sample to a lab and test results are given to you by a healthcare provider.
Additional reporting by Deborah Shapiro.
