In observance of National HIV Testing Day on June 27, 2019
the Santa Barbara County Public Health is reaching out to providers and community
members to raise awareness about the importance of HIV testing and early diagnosis of
HIV. This year’s theme “Doing It My Way” encourages people to get tested for HIV in a way
that is comfortable for them. You can test at your health care provider’s office, at another
testing site, or even at home. However you choose to do it, get tested and know your
current HIV status.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one in seven
people in the United States who have HIV don’t know that they are HIV positive. Some
people who test positive for HIV were not aware of their risk or need for testing. CDC
recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once
as part of routine health care. People with the following risk factors should get tested more
often:
- Men who have sex with other men