Trans and nonbinary folks, like anyone else, should think about whether they may be exposed to HIV. Consider if you are a part of sexual networks with higher HIV prevalence. It is always a good idea to get tested if you are unsure – especially as there are free and accessible self testing programs out there, The Trans Pulse Project reported that 43% of gay, queer and bi trans guys had never been tested for HIV. Many trans and nonbinary folks have reported feeling uncomfortable going to clinics or talking with doctors. Some clinics try to be inclusive of trans and gender non-conforming people in their policies or even on their intake forms. But some doctors, nurses and staff still say inappropriate things, misgender people, make assumptions about trans bodies or what kind of sex they are having, or don’t offer the testing that they might offer to cis folks

These experiences may turn you off the idea of getting tested. Being explicit about your needs sometimes works, and sometimes doesn’t. You might want to give yourself a pep talk, bring a friend with you to stay with you during the test, and let the doctors know if it’s your first time, or consider testing with the HIV self tests at home. Check out this cartoon from the Community Based Research Centre for some tips on navigating doctor’s as a queer, trans, and/or nonbinary person.

Some trans and nonbinary folks find it helpful to combine HIV testing with bloodwork for hormone monitoring.

Yes! You can ask for these tests at the same time as your HIV test. This is especially important because if you’re HIV negative and you aren’t on PrEP, STIs can seriously increase your chance of acquiring HIV if you have condomless sex with a partner who isn’t undetectable. Just know that while it is possible to get an anonymous HIV test, other STI tests will be done nominally (meaning name-attached), so they are linked to your personal information.

Check out our STIs page if you’re having symptoms or wondering about getting tested for them. Make sure you tell your doctor what kind of sex you got into, whether you used condoms or if you or your partner(s) are on PrEP or have undetectable HIV viral loads, and whether you have any symptoms.

HIV testing is available in Nova Scotia as a part of healthcare. For people who have an MSI card, they can access these tests without paying. If you do not have health insurance, you can get an anonymous HIV test in Nova Scotia without health insurance or personal information from the Halifax Sexual Health clinic. If you want to purchase an HIV Self test they can be costly, however they are available throughout the province or at the HEAL NS office for free.

Current HIV tests are very accurate. The tests you are likely to encounter in Nova Scotia (self-tests and confirmatory tests from blood draws at a lab or clinic) are over 99% accurate.

That being said, there are some important things to consider when understanding when a test will be the most accurate.

There’s a “window period” between the moment HIV transmission happens and when it will show up on an HIV test. This is based on the level of virus in your body and antibodies to the virus that become detectable over time. It can take up to 3 months after somebody acquired HIV for antibody tests to show a positive result. Talk about the window period with the person giving you the test.

This window period is not a result of ‘bad’ HIV testing tools, but rather the way viruses infect a body and the limitations of all medical tests. If you think about COVID tests, we know that it is highly unlikely to get a positive test result an hour after COVID exposure. Generally these tests take 2-5 days (or longer) to detect the virus. All medical tests have different time periods before they can detect a virus, and so it is important to understand the window period of any virus or infection you are testing for.

Somebody who has HIV might not receive an HIV-positive result from a test if your body hasn’t yet produced enough of the virus or antibodies to be detected by tests available in Nova Scotia. That’s why we recommend frequent testing in the window period after every possible HIV transmission.

HIV tests are very accurate, and so-called “false positive” results are exceptionally rare. If you are concerned about an incorrect result, speak with your doctor or counselor doing your testing. If you get a positive result from a diagnostic test (like a self-test), you need to go in for a confirmatory test as soon as possible.

Yes. You can buy at-home HIV tests from Biolytical, or order them for free through us at HEAL NS and ReadyToKnow.ca. We also have HIV take home self-tests that you can pick up in our Halifax office. Remember, if you test positive with an at-home kit, you need to get a confirmatory HIV test as soon as possible. Getting linked to care and treatment options as soon as possible is the best way to support your health in the long run, and to achieve an undetectable HIV viral load.