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FREE Anonymous HIV Testing
UCI Health Education is partnering with Student
Health Service to make Anonymous HIV Antibody Testing available
to all UCI community members.
Appointments are recommended, and testing takes
place every Tuesday and Wednesday from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at UCI
Health Education, G319 Student Center.
All parts of the testing
process, from making an appointment to getting your result, are
completely anonymous.
Our phone number: (949)UCI-WELL or (949)824-9355.
Should I get tested for HIV?
An individual's behaviors are what determine whether
they are at risk for HIV. In other words, it's not who you are,
it's what you do. Consider getting tested if:
- You have had vaginal or anal sex (partial or complete) without
using a condom or latex barrier from start to finish.
- You have had contact with sexual fluids (semen, pre-ejaculate
or pre-cum, vaginal and cervical secretions of another person)
through mouth to genital touching or by sharing sex toys without
using a condom or latex barrier from start to finish.
- You have had sexual contact with someone whose sexual history
indicates possible risk for HIV.
- You were stuck by a needle, or shared needles or injection equipment
with blood on or in them for any reason.
When is the best time for me to get tested?
The test used to detect HIV infection actually
looks for antibodies produced by your body to fight HIV. Most people
will develop detectable antibodies after 4-12 weeks from infection.
In rare cases, it can take up to 6 months. For 100% accuracy, the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control recommends testing 6 months after
the last possible exposure (unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex
or sharing needles).
Therefore, if you are worried about exposure to
HIV because of a particular partner or sexual behavior, wait at
least 3 months and ideally 6 months to test. Keep in mind that you
will need to re-test again if you decide to not wait out the full
six-month window period.
What happens during testing?
In the first visit, each tester meets privately
with a trained staff member for a brief dialogue about behaviors
and partners that might represent HIV risk. During this session,
the tester gets a unique number, which links his or her paperwork
and oral fluid sample to his/her result.
How is my test sample collected?
You will be instructed to place a special OraSure
collection device in your mouth for about 3 minutes to gather oral
mucosal transudate (NOT saliva), a fluid that can be tested for
the presence of HIV-1 antibodies. A local lab will test your sample,
and return the result to us. OraSure is over 99% accurate in detecting
HIV-1 antibodies.
How long does it take to get my result?
Test results are available 7 days later. A result
must be picked up in person (never over the phone) by the tester and is given out only
after demographic information is verified and the tester's unique
ID number is matched to the result. NO EXCEPTIONS.
I see Health Ed is a busy office with other students
around. How confidential and anonymous is the testing process?
All HIV testing counselors are professional staff
who have been trained and certified by the California State Office
of AIDS.
The testing process is completely
confidential because you are in a private office with a trained
counselor. The testing process is also completely anonymous
because only general demographic information is taken - you will
never be asked to provide any personally-linked information (your
name, student ID, license, social security #) at any time during
the process. This is a process during which, thankfully, you are
only a number - and it is this randomly assigned number that links
you with your paperwork, oral fluid sample, and result.
Finally, if you know the counselor personally or
professionally, you will be asked to wait for the next available
counselor in order to protect the anonymity of your testing experience.
Why would a person be turned away for testing?
Because our testing process utilizes staff time
and resources, Health Education reserves the right to refuse anonymous
testing to:
- Visitors who will not provide any risk assessment information
to counselors
- Visitors without risk who want to test solely to complete a
class assignment
- Visitors without risk who want to test out of curiosity or to
demonstrate support for a friend going through the process
- Visitors who re-test too soon after a negative result or too
often to yield any new information.
How do I make an appointment?
Drop by or call to make an appointment. Testing
is offered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 1-4 pm during the academic
year (except finals and breaks).
Questions Concerning HIV?
Visit our Resource
Guide for more information.
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