The In-Home HIV Test is safe and easy to use. Still, we understand if you are worried about the process and your result. Fear not! We are here to explain the step-by-step process to you now and will be there with you virtually during the testing process. Your counselor will help you read your result and will provide you with next steps.

The Empoderate Center at La Clinica del Pueblo uses the OraQuick In-Home HIV Test, which is a rapid self-administered test. This CDC approved test uses oral fluid (saliva) to check for antibodies to HIV Type 1 and HIV Type 2, the viruses that cause AIDS. The kit is designed to allow you to take the HIV test from the comfort of your home with the collection of an oral fluid sample by swabbing your upper and lower gums with the testing device. After collecting the sample, you insert the device into the kit’s vial, which contains a developer solution. Once the device is in the kit’s vial, you will wait 20 minutes before reading the test result. Again, your counselor will help you read your result and will provide you with next steps.

If you think you have been exposed to HIV without any form of protection, take a deep breath. PEP — or Non-occupational Post-Exposure Prophylaxis — can lower your chances of getting HIV. PEP must be started within 72 hours (three days) after you were exposed to HIV, but the sooner you start it, the better. If you feel as if you need PEP, contact us at (202) 507-4800. We are more than happy to help you gain access to PEP as soon as possible. If you would like to start PEP, please call us so we can make you an appointment with one of our community partners. Alternatively, you can directly call the DC Health and Wellness Center at (202) 741-7962.

1.1 Who Can Get a Test Kit?

Empoderate’s “Home-based HIV Test Kits” will be mailed to you within 48 hours after requesting it, if you live in the DMV (DC, MD, or VA) area. If you would rather take your test at one of our physical sites, please contact us to set up an appointment that best fits your schedule. Remember, you are in charge of making decisions about your sexual health and we are here to help you decide what best fits your needs.

1.2 When You Get Your Test Kit

Remember, you will not have to do the test by yourself. We are here to support you throughout the entire process, from the decision of getting tested to the collection of the sample and the interpretation of the result of your test. We know that getting an HIV test result by yourself can be a stressful situation. When people learn they have are living with HIV, they may suffer great psychosocial and psychological stresses through a fear of rejection, social stigma, disease progression, and the uncertainties associated with future management of HIV. But, again, don’t worry as we are here for you and we will help you understand your result and link you to the HIV prevention or HIV care you may need.

After you receive your HIV test kit:

• Contact one of our counselors and set-up an appointment that best fits your schedule.
• Discuss with the counselor any barriers you may have related to the testing process to ensure you are in a safe and private place during the HIV Testing and Counseling session.
• The counselor will run through the layout of the virtual session and will help you to install the platform you are going to use during the HIV Testing and Counseling session if you need it.

1.3 The HIV Testing and Counseling session and the results:

The HIV testing and counseling session will be performed virtually using a secured platform, like Zoom, to protect your health information. The counselor will guide you during the sample collection process, your result and its meaning, as well as your next steps.

During the HIV Testing and Counseling session:

• Make sure you are in a safe and private place, where you feel comfortable discussing your sexual behavior and practices.
• Let the counselor guide you through the collection process to ensure you receive an accurate result
• Ask all and any question you may have related to your health. If we are unable to help you answer a question, we might refer you to someone who can.

1.4 Meaning of Result / Next Steps:

1.4.1 Negative / Non-reactive: If you receive a negative or non-reactive result, this means there are no HIV-1 or HIV-2 Antibodies or HIV-1 Antigen detected in your blood at the time of your test.

What should I do next?

• In three months, be sure to continue practicing good self-care and sexual health practices by requesting another at-home test kit or making an appointment to get tested at one of our locations in DC or MD and urge your partner(s) to also get tested and know their status.
• It is fundamental to have an open dialogue about condom use, HIV, and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) with your partner(s) in order to protect yourself and them.
• Use a new condom (feminine/internal or masculine/external) every time you have anal or vaginal sex. If you need condoms, you can order them here. We will mail them to you for free!
• Use a new condom or a barrier or a latex dental dam every time you practice oral sex (mouth to penis, vagina, or anus).
• Use only water or silicone-based lubricant; oil-based lubricants can cause condoms to break.
• Practice safe sex (foreplay, mutual masturbation, kissing, touching, etc.)
• Don’t share needles or other injection equipment.
• Speak to your medical provider about STI screening, since acquiring an STI and leaving it untreated can increase your risk of contracting HIV.
• Ask your counselor about PrEP; the safe, daily pill that prevents you from getting HIV.

1.4.2 Positive / Reactive: If your result is positive or reactive, this means that HIV-1 or HIV-2 Antibodies or HIV-1 Antigen were detected at the time of your test. In this case, the following will occur:

• Let’s start with the good news. We are here to support you and remind you a lot of people living with HIV have long, happy, fulfilling lives.
• You will be offered assistance to access healthcare services at La Clínica del Pueblo, or at another agency.
• Furthermore, you will be offered assistance to notify your sexual partner(s) so that they can also receive appropriate medical attention.
• Your case will be reported to the Department of Health, as an indispensable requirement in the efforts to control the HIV epidemic.

What should I do next?

• Attend your medical appointments and speak with your medical provider about your treatment options and the ways you can maintain your health and your partner(s)’ health.
• Take your medicine as instructed by your medical provider to keep the virus under control and your viral load undetectable. Remember, having an undetectable viral load means you cannot transmit HIV to your sexual partner (s). To learn more about what it means to be undetectable=untransmissible, watch our video here U=U.
• It is fundamental to have an open dialogue about condom use, HIV, and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) in order to protect yourself and protect your partner(s).
• Use a new condom (feminine/internal or masculine/external) every time you have anal or vaginal sex. If you need condoms, you can order them here. We will mail them to you for free!
• Use a new condom or a barrier or a latex dental dam every time you practice oral sex (mouth to penis, vagina, or anus).
• Use only water or silicone-based lubricant; oil-based lubricants can cause condoms to break.
• Practice safe sex (foreplay, mutual masturbation, kissing, touching, etc.)
• Don’t share needles or other injection equipment.
• Seek professional help to address the stress associated with living with HIV. We can help you access the mental health services at La Clínica del Pueblo, if you desire.

2.1 HIV vs AIDS

HIV = Human Immunodeficiency Virus: The HIV causes AIDS. It damages your immune system, making it easier for you to get sick. 

AIDS = Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome: AIDS is a syndrome, or range of symptoms, that may develop over time when a person living with HIV does not receive treatment. It is the most serious stage of HIV and can lead to death over time. It is caused by the damage that HIV does to your immune system. Your physician will tell you if you have AIDS depending on if you face dangerous infections or have super low number of CD4 cells.  

It is important to note that HIV and AIDS are not the same thing. Likewise, not all people living with HIV have AIDS. HIV is the virus that’s transmitted from person to person via certain body fluids, such as blood, rectal fluids, semen, pre-seminal fluid, vaginal fluids, and breast milk. Over time, HIV destroys an important kind of cell in your immune system, called CD4 cells or T cells, that helps protect you from infections. When you no longer have enough of these CD4 cells, your body can’t fight off infections the way it normally does.

2.2 Facts:

• HIV is carried in pre-seminal fluid (pre-cum), semen (cum), vaginal fluids, anal mucus, blood, and breast milk. The virus gets into your body through cuts or sores in your skin, and through mucous membranes (like the inside of the vagina, rectum, and opening of the penis). 
• HIV is usually spread through having unprotected sex. Using condoms and/or dental dams every time you have sex can help protect you and your partners from HIV. If you do have HIV, an effective treatment regimen reduces the chances of spreading the virus to other people during sex to zero. If you don’t have HIV, there’s also a daily medicine called PrEP that can protect you from HIV. 
• Sharing needles with others also puts you at increased risk for acquiring the virus. Similarly, using a clean needle reduces your risk for acquiring the virus.
• HIV can also be transmitted to babies during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding. A pregnant woman with HIV can take medicine to greatly reduce the chance that her baby will acquire HIV.
• HIV isn’t spread through saliva (spit), so you CANNOT get HIV from kissing, sharing food or drinks, or using the same fork or spoon as someone living with HIV. HIV is also not spread through hugging, holding hands, coughing, or sneezing with someone living with HIV. Lastly, you also cannot get HIV from a toilet seat or from a mosquito bite.

STI = Sexual Transmitted Infection

Remember there’s something you can always do to protect yourself against a STI: Use a condom during every sexual encounter with your partner(s). Condoms will protect you from gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, HIV, and any other STIs that are passed through genital fluids. Unfortunately, most traditional condoms won’t prevent skin-to-skin infections like herpes or HPV. However, the female/internal condom can offer some protection in those cases, because its unique design actually covers some of the vulva or the outer part of the anus, depending on where you’re using it. If you need condoms, you can order them here. We will mail them to you for free!

While some STIs have symptoms, others do not. Because some STIs are asymptomatic, it is vital to make STI testing a regular part of your sexual health routine. You could be carrying a virus or infection, not know it, and be passing it on to your partner(s). Consider getting tested for STIs and HIV at least once per year, or every 3 to 6 months if you are sexually active. Testing lets you know exactly what’s going on inside your body. And having that knowledge will make you feel powerful and in control of the choices you make for your health.

If you want to know more about STIs or want to get tested, you can contact us at any time. Remember, the more information you have, the better decisions you will make about your sexual life and you will be able to enjoy your sexuality to the fullest.

4.1 What is PrEP?

PrEP stands for “pre-exposure prophylaxis.” PrEP is a pill you take daily that lowers your chances of getting HIV through sex by more than 90%. And if you inject drugs, it lowers your chances by 70%.

4.2 Is PrEP right for me?

PrEP is for people who are HIV negative and at-risk for acquiring HIV. While it is true that all sexually active people are at-risk for acquiring HIV, some people are more at-risk than others. You should consider taking PrEP if you:

• Have had anal or vaginal sex in the past 6 months and:
  • Have a sexual partner with HIV (especially if the partner has an unknown or detectable viral load)
  • Have not consistently used a condom
  • Have been diagnosed with an STI in the past 6 months

• PrEP is also recommended for people who inject drugs and have an injection partner living with HIV with whom they share needles, syringes, or other equipment to inject drugs (for example, cookers).

4.3 Is PrEP safe? Are there any side effects?

PrEP is safe. In fact, no significant health effects have been reported. But, like with any drug, you may have some unpleasant side effects, like nausea, dizziness and fatigue. It is worth noting that these side effects aren’t life threatening. If you are taking PrEP, tell your healthcare provider about any side effects that are severe or do not go away after 2-3 weeks. It is vital to know that people who use PrEP should see their health care provider every 3 months for a follow up appointment, routine HIV screening, and to have their prescriptions refilled.

4.4 If I take PrEP, can I stop using condoms when I have sex?

Using condom during your sexual encounters is a personal decision; however, remember PrEP only protects you from HIV. PrEP does not protect you from other STIs, like gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, or HPV, even if you do actively use PrEP. Only condoms can protect you from other STIs and pregnancy. Remember if you need condoms, we can provide them to you for free.

4.5 How does PrEP work?

Studies have shown that PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99% when taken consistently.  Among people who inject drugs, PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV by at least 74% when taken consistently. Because PrEP does not protect against other STIs, we advise you to properly use condoms every time you have sex.

 Also, it is worth nothing that for PrEP to be effective on people who have anal sex, they need to take PrEP consistently for seven to 14 days before they have sex. For people who have vaginas, they need to take PrEP consistently for 20 days before PrEP works effectively while they have sex. Why do I have to wait 14 or 20 days before PrEP works effectively? That’s how long it takes for PrEP to show up in the tissue of the anus or the vagina. 

4.6 If I’m transgender person, is safe to take PrEP with my hormone therapy?

According to the CDC, there are no known drug conflicts or interactions between the medicines used in PrEP and hormone therapy, though more studies are needed on this topic. If you are worried that PrEP will affect your hormone therapy, ask your health care provider to check your hormone levels. Remember, people who use PrEP should see their health care provider every 3 months for follow up, routine HIV screening, and to have their prescriptions refilled. 

5.1 What does undetectable mean?

Undetectable equals Untransmittable means that people living with HIV who have been consistently taking their antiretroviral treatment (ART), as instructed by their medical provider, for at least six months and have an undetectable viral load cannot spread the virus via sexual encounters.

Viral load is how much of the virus is present in a person’s bloodstream. Current treatment can reduce the HIV viral load to the extent that levels of the virus in the blood are too low to be significant. While the virus is undetectable, it will not affect the person’s daily life, and it will not necessarily shorten their lifespan. At this point, the virus is also untransmittable, meaning it cannot be passed on to another person.

Today, people living with HIV can live long and healthy lives. And if their viral load is undetectable, they can have sex with their partner(s) without worrying about transmitting the virus. However, a lot of people still don’t know that a person living with HIV who has an undetectable viral load can’t pass the virus to their sexual partner(s), and therefore believe a lot of harmful myths about HIV which contribute to the stigma and discrimination that people living with HIV face every day.

These harmful myths are why we continue to fight against stigma, educate our communities, and work with community members to increase capacity and leadership in community health.

5.2 Can I stop using condoms if I live with HIV and have an undetectable viral?

The short answer is: no. While it is completely true that if you have an undetectable viral load, you won’t transmit HIV to your sexual partner(s) while having sex. However, it is important to protect yourself from acquiring other STIs. An undetectable viral load doesn’t mean you’re protected from getting other STIs. So, if you want to protect yourself and protect your sexual partner(s) from other STIs, you should still use condoms every time you have sex. If you need condoms, you can order them here. We will mail them to you for free!

5.3 Why is it so important to know about U=U?

Knowing that a person living with HIV and with an undetectable viral load can’t transmit the virus to their sexual partner(s) during sex shatters those long-standing myths and misconceptions about HIV and people living with HIV. It is vital to spread information and awareness about how HIV is transmitted and break down some of the stigma that people living with HIV face every day.