HIV Testing | Health Services Center

FREE, confidential HIV testing Monday through Friday at our Hobson City clinic.

No appointment necessary.
Walk-ins welcome!

Testing Hours:
Monday through Thursday 9am till 3pm
Fridays 9am till 11am

Call to schedule your testing event!
We offer testing off-site for organizations or groups. Contact our Prevention/Education Director, Julie Hope, at 256-832-0100, to arrange testing at your business, club or school.

Experts agree that getting an HIV test is important for everyone. In fact the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) actually has made a recommendation that a HIV test be part of any routine medical exam and physical.

Rapid HIV Test - This test makes it possible for the patient to get pre-test and post-test

counseling, their test results, and any medical referrals they may need all in one visit.

What is Rapid HIV Testing?
Rapid HIV testing differs from conventional HIV testing in that it allows:
• results of the test to be ready in 20 minutes
• it allows testing, counseling, and referrals to be done in one visit

OraQuick Advanced Rapid HIV Antibody Test - this test has been approved for use with oral fluids for the detection of HIV-1 and HIV-2. The test consists of a small test paddle. The test area on the paddle is impregnated with HIV-1 and HIV-2 envelope proteins. The test specimen is applied to the paddle (the paddle is swabbed in the inside of the mouth) and placed in developer solution. If the specimen contains HIV, it binds with the impregnated proteins resulting in a red test line on the paddle. Two Red lines in the test area and control area of the paddle indicate a prelimanary positive test. All preliminary positive tests require a confirmatory lab test.

What's Are the Advantages of A Rapid HIV Test?
There are distinct advantages or rapid tests over conventional tests. They include:
• they are less costly for testing agencies whose budgets are limited
• all people tested will get pre and post-test counseling with their results
• because results are delivered quicker, confirmed positives get into medical care sooner
• by learning of infections earlier, potential exposures that would have occurred between traditional testing and receiving results is reduced
• their results that are as accurate as a traditional tests

Is a Confirmatory Test Required if the Rapid Test is Positive?
As is true of conventional antibody procedure, a preliminary positive rapid HIV test results are confirmed the Western Blot lab test.

For more information on testing - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) -Questions and Answers