Blog #9: Testing and Confidentiality
When I went to get my HIV test done there were alot of thoughts going through my mind before I went into the private testing center. Things like; what if someone I know sees me? Am I going to have to pay for it? How long with it take? Will people know if I went to get tested? All these questions and more were answered by the time I left. There was no cost for the test, my test results were confedintial, it only took about 20mins, and there shouldn't be a reason to be ashammed to get tested. I just summed this experience up but I am sure the things I were thinking before the test were similar to most people. I try to slip my experience into casual conversation with my firends so they can see how easy getting an HIV test really is and how important getting is. Any fears I had before I went to get tested were quickly erased after this experience.
DYK: Private Education Concerning HIV
After searching for HIV policies in private schools I didn't have much luck. I did find that private schools must adhere to the National and Local guidelines for education, which includes HIV. As I showed you before in my Blog #4 each state has their own policy regarding HIV(ussually abstience is the message). As long as the private schools stick to this policy then they are following regualtions. Being that most private schools are tied to religion, I dont feel they will stray from the abstience message. In many states however they are required to teach about contraception. This is probably not the case in private schools that are religous but I dont think anyone has challened them to change on this matter.
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I felt the same as I was walking in to get tested. I was nervous and wondering if anyone was watching or seeing me that I knew. That is good that your test was for free. Mine was 25 dollars, but that also included other tests that came with my HIV test. My testing center did not just have one flat rate for a HIV test. Your had to pay 25 dollars for all the test and could not just cut that down for the HIV test. Moreover, I feel the same as most private schools are religiously affiliated so I would guess they would use the abstinence message. I went to a religious private school, Church or Christ, and it was very conservative and abstinence was definitely the message.
ReplyDeleteYou're absolutely right about the people having similar feelings about getting an HIV test. As a matter of fact you pretty much just mirrored my exact experience, say for the cost of the test. Unfortunately my test cost me $15, but was well worth it for the experience I had. The one issue that I had with the HIV test was trying to explain to all my friends that I was only taking the test for a class. It was easy to see how uneasy they became when I told them that I took the test, you could see them become stand offish right away.
ReplyDeleteI went to the Orange County Department Health Department and it was a great experience to go for testing and couseling. I had a really good counselor and he was very helpful.
ReplyDelete20 minutes to get pre-test counseled and a return test date? Wow, we took a lot longer to do pre-test counseling when Linda and I ran the testing site on campus. Boy times sure have changed. Keep talking to your friends. Perhaps one day what you are saying will sink in.
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