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Testing Schedules

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What if HIV testing was just part of your regular sexual health routine?

Whether or not your partner(s) has HIV, tests regularly, and no matter the type of sex you want to have with them, knowing your HIV status, and theirs, will help you make thoughtful decisions about the sex you have.

Many of us know that testing for HIV is an important way to take care of our health, but some of us are not getting tested or getting tested enough. So how often should you get tested?

Our checklist tool recommends a testing schedule, based specifically on you and your sexual activities.

Think about testing every 3 – 6 months if:

  • you are having sex with multiple partners;
  • someone you are having sex with has multiple sex partners
  • you are (or might be) sharing drug-use equipment with other people

*You can ask yourself questions like ‘am I regularly using barrier protection’, ‘am I on PrEP’, and ‘are my sexual partners regularly getting tested’ to decide if you want to test more or less often in this range. You can also talk to a healthcare professional for advice on whether or not to get tested every 3 or 6 months.

Think about testing every year if:

  • you are having sex with one person who, to the best of your knowledge, is only having sex with you
  • your partner tested HIV-negative since after the last time they had sex with someone other then you, or is undetectable
  • you do not share drug-use equipment with other people

Think about testing once in your lifetime if:

  • you are not sexually active
  • you do not share drug-use equipment with other people

If you think you may have been exposed to HIV and have symptoms like a rash, a fever or flu-like symptoms, get tested as soon as you are able to. It’s important to know that not everyone who gets HIV will experience these symptoms. In fact, most new cases of HIV are happening when one person doesn’t know that they have recently become HIV-positive. The chance of passing the virus along is at its highest in this early stage.

While you’re testing for HIV, it’s good to get tested for other STIs too. STIs increase the chance of passing on or getting HIV, so all people, both HIV-positive and negative, are recommended to test regularly for STIs like syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. A great way to reduce STIs and HIV in our community is to test frequently and treat early. Check out our page testing in Nova Scotia for a guide on where to get tested.

 

This section was adapted, with permission, from The Sex You Want Website.
You can learn more about where we got this information from at: HSHC, NS Health
*disclaimer: we do not necessarily endorse all of the information, content, or language used in these references

 

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