The antibody tests are now very accurate and anyone can be tested by asking their GP; going to a Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) Clinic which can be found in the phone book under STD or VD clinic; or to a private test centre.
However, before a test is carried out counselling will be given. This is wise for two reasons. First, it offers the opportunity to discuss sexual behaviour and receive advice on how to cut down risks and second, it begins to prepare the individual for the fact the test may come back positive.
Although most people who are HIV-positive (those who have antibodies thereby showing they are carrying the virus) are well until AIDS starts, it is not known how many people are carrying the virus. One way to find out would be to test everyone compulsorily. The British government is against this.
Blood is taken from thousands of people every day for all manner of tests and another way would be to test such samples for the presence of HIV antibodies without telling the patients. This is known as involuntary testing but the snag is what to do if the result is positive. Do you tell the patient or the spouse? Some people commit suicide when told. It was found in New York that actual AIDS patients are 66 times more likely to commit suicide than are other people. Once told, the individual will have difficulty in obtaining life insurance honestly and may even be refused a mortgage. In one survey 14 per cent of people in the UK said that they would refuse to work with anyone who was HIV-positive so if the news leaks out the individual might lose his job. In consequence this method is not being used.
A variant of involuntary testing is to do anonymous testing on the routine blood samples mentioned above. In this form of testing the blood samples have the name of the patient removed. The idea is that this will give us some idea of how the virus is spreading in the community which would be useful in planning prevention. Many members of the medical profession are against this form of testing.
So it comes down to voluntary or, as it is called, ‘informed’ testing. Obviously anyone in the high-risk groups mentioned above, if they can face up to it, should ask for tests. The British government plans to ask pregnant women to agree to be tested, partly to find out if HIV is spreading in the heterosexual population and partly so that anyone found to be positive can be advised about the pregnancy. Women’s Health Concern say that they are being inundated with requests for tests from women who are worried because they have had many partners; because they have been with bi-sexual men; or because they are planning a pregnancy. If everyone were as sensible as these women we would be much better informed about the spread of the virus.
*183\164\2*
