Barriers to HIV testing

HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus and it can lead to AIDS if not treated right or not treated at all. In order to be aware of your current conditions, you need to get yourself tested for HIV. HIV testing is recommended by the health care providers as well. However, anything said is not enough for people to overcome their fearful thoughts about HIV testing. There are certain barriers to HIV testing, most of which are caused by people themselves. Mostly, people are hesitant towards HIV testing and some of them will not even allow their kin to get tested.

1. Fear

In prior days or old time, HIV testing was treated as a possible road towards death sentence, as being diagnosed with HIV was treated like one. Similarly, people now, fear the results which might come up by HIV testing. People would refuse to get tested for HIV for the same reason. There have been many massive enhancements in the treatment for people with HIV-positive. There is still no cure to completely remove the roots of HIV from an individual. However, the detection in its early ages improves the results overtime. Initializing the treatment during early times, aids in reduction of the AID related symptoms. It also reduces the rate of transmission from one individual to the other. The treatment though, might not work the same, if you have waited a few years. It is beneficial for the individuals to get HIV testing as soon as they can.

2. Risk factors

There have been a huge number of people who refuse to go through HIV testing because they have this belief in their minds, that they do not have any of the risk factors for HIV infection. It is not uncommon amongst people to think so. However, there have been a study conducted in 2011, which concluded that amongst all, about 69 percent people who were infected by HIV reported that they did not get tested before because they thought they were not at risk. As a rational individual, you must make sure that you know what the risk factors are. In case you notice any one of them within yourself, you must get yourself tested. Even when you think you are not at risk, you must go through HIV testing at least once, to make sure and to avoid future difficulties.

3. Stigma

Stigma is referred to as a stain or a disgrace. This is exactly how an HIV diagnosed patient thinks, they are being thought of. HIV was first discovered 30 years ago and since then, there have been so many enhancements in the field and there have been numerous finding regrading it. Despite all that, people who are diagnosed with HIV are afraid of being treated as a stain by other people. The other reason why people do not want to go through HIV testing is that they might get discriminated against if it turns out to be positive and other people are aware of it.