Most young people aren't getting tested for HIV. Are you one of them?

Have you ever had sex - any sex - oral, vaginal, or anal?
Have you ever shared needles - for tattoos, drugs, anything else?
If you answered yes to either of these questions, then this is for you...
Let's play a little game called "Getting to the HIV test" Here are some things young people have said about HIV/AIDS and HIV testing, and our response. You game?

WHO, ME? NO WAY.

"The person I did it with, she don't have it (HIV), I just know." - young man
"He told me he's used condoms so I haven't been thinking about it." - 19 year-old girl

Flashback to high school sex ed: How is HIV transmitted, class? We should all get this one right: HIV can be passed through sex (oral, anal, or vaginal) or sharing needles (while doing drugs or getting a tattoo). Um, so what were you saying about not being at risk for HIV? It just takes having sex or sharing needles with one infected partner. Flashback fact number two: you can't tell by looking if someone has HIV. In fact, THEY might not know they have HIV. In fact, it's estimated that one in three people infected with HIV in the U.S. don't know that they're infected.

"She was a virgin. I still use a condom, but not every single time." - 18 year-old guy

Hmm-mm. The ol' Virgin Defense. Heard that one many times. How many times have YOU hesitated telling a partner what you've done in the past, or with which guy or gal? Come on folks, how can you really ever know for sure that's true? AND, what about the person you're sleeping with? She or he may be a virgin, but if you're not, you're passing your risk onto someone else.

Here's more about HIV testing:

WELL, MAYBE I AM AT RISK.

BUT WHERE DO I GET TESTED?

WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AT THE TEST?

WAITING, WAITING... AND GETTING THE RESULTS

WELL, MAYBE I AM AT RISK.

"Me, I'm sure of myself. I just want to get tested to make sure." - 17 year-old girl
I was shook, I couldn't find a condom. Afterwards, you might not even be thinking about it, then it just pops into your head. Thats when it really bothers you." - young man

Hey, these feelings are OK. It can be scary not to know. It can be scary to go get tested and find out too. The important thing is to go get tested, because the earlier you know the better. If you don't have HIV, you can talk about ways to stay protected. And if you do find out you have HIV, new treatments are helping people live longer healthier lives and they work better if you get treated early. So, take a deep breath, and go get an HIV test.

BUT WHERE DO I GET TESTED?

"I don't really have a doctor. I don't really know how to find one." - 18 year-old guy
"I don't know, I just don't trust clinics that much. I don't feel comfortable going to a place like that" - 17 year-old girl.

So, you decide you're going to get tested - now where do you go for the test? Finding an HIV testing site may not be as easy as finding Ricky Martin's latest CD, but they're out there. If you already have a regular doctor, you can go there, but some people want to go to a place where people don't know them. So there's a phone number just for you -- National AIDS Hotline at 1-800-342-2437 (AIDS) - they'll tell you about free or very low-cost HIV testing near you. You can also do a home HIV test, which you buy in drug stores or order over the phone or Internet (the only government-approved home HIV test is called Home Access). But these tests are expensive ($40-$50) and only have telephone counselors.

Many people want their HIV tests to be as private as the X-files. So ask the testing place if and how they'll keep your information private. You can get confidential testing which means that only medical people and, in some states, people in the state health department, can see your test results. If you sign a release form, sometimes other people, like your university, health insurer, or your employer can see the results.

Or you can get anonymous testing. Here you get a number and never give your name to the testing site, so only you will ever know the test results.

WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AT THE TEST?

"At the clinic, while they were doing it they kind of said 'Well, I'm going to do this to you and this is why I'm doing it.'" - teen

What'll happen at the test? First, someone (usually a nurse or counselor) talks to you about the test and about your sexual history. You can ask questions and talk about your fears. Next, you agree to take the test. You might get a blood test, which means there will be a needle, but it's QUICK! If needles are really a problem for you, call around and find a site offering the oral test where they'll take some of your spit for testing.

WAITING, WAITING- AND GETTING THE RESULTS

"I thought about it a lot. It's impossible not to while you're waiting to find out." - 17 year-old guy

"I was scared to get the results. I was very scared." - 18 year-old girl

The waiting time before you get the results can make you real nervous, just like waiting for the results of any kind of test. Being scared is normal. Think about other risks you've taken in your life, like telling a person you liked how you felt about them, or sticking up for someone you saw being picked on. Was that scary? Was it worth it? Try talking with someone you trust - a friend or someone in your family, or you can try calling the counselors at your testing site.

"After my doctor told me my results, she told me so much more. She gave me a lot of information." - teen

What do those test results mean? If you test positive on an HIV test, it means that you have HIV. But actually getting AIDS symptoms and infections can take up to 10 or more years. If you take the new HIV drugs like Jeannie Boulet on ER does, you can delay developing AIDS even longer. So being HIV-positive is not a death sentence. It's a call to action: find out NOW if you have the virus, so you can see a doctor and learn how to take care of your body today if you do.

If you test negative, it means that the test found no antibodies to HIV. Now, it can take up to six months from the last time you had unprotected sex or shared needles for the antibodies to show up on the test. So, to be sure, it's recommended that you stay safe and get tested again a full six months after that last unsafe time you had. If you get tested again and you are HIV-negative, this is the time for you to start protecting yourself so you can stay negative, because it doesn't mean you can't get HIV in the future. This stuff is a little confusing so call the AIDS hotline at 1-800-342-AIDS or talk to a testing counselor about it.

WHAT NEXT?

"I use condoms all the time now. And I keep getting tested" - 18 year-old guy.

Having safe sex every time you have sex, and never sharing needles can prevent you from getting HIV. And if you have HIV, it can help you make sure you don't pass it to someone else. You might consider getting tested every six months, or at least once a year like at your check-up, if you have one. Make sure you ask for HIV testing, because it's not done automatically.

Resources for more information on HIV/AIDS:

CDC National HIV & AIDS Hotline: 1 800 342 AIDS

National Teenage AIDS Hotline: 1 800 440 TEEN

CDC National STD Hotline: 1 800 227 8922

Planned Parenthood National Hotline: 1 800 230 PLAN