{"status":"ok","data":[{"id":110,"title":"Self Tests Empower Us to Take Control of Our Health","date":{"date":"2021-06-21 07:45:14.263000","timezone_type":3,"timezone":"Europe\/Dublin"},"blog":"National HIV Testing Day (NHTD) is June 27, and the rally cry for testing sounds slightly different this year. An estimated 1.2 million people in the U.S. have HIV, and roughly 14 percent of them don\u2019t know they have it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). <\/span>While there were disruptions to HIV testing services during COVID-19 pandemic, I was heartened to hear White House Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci say late last month that he thinks the U.S. can still achieve its goal of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030. And furthermore, that despite the ongoing COVID pandemic, he does not feel the nation has not gone \u201cbackward\u201d in the fight against HIV. <\/span>One of the reasons for this \u2013 and one of the reasons for the rally cry shift \u2013 is HIV self testing. In fact, the CDC\u2019s theme for this year\u2019s testing day is \u201cMy Test, My Way,\u201d and it encourages people to take charge of their health by getting tested for HIV in a way that is comfortable for them\u2014whether it\u2019s self-testing in the comfort and privacy of their own home or finding a trusted testing site in the community.<\/span>Self-testing, which enables social distancing, has become a key strategy in the efforts to help people continue to know their HIV status. It also removes the stigma of HIV, which translates to increased awareness of HIV status in people who might otherwise be too self-conscious to ask for a test from a healthcare provider. For some people, that may mean a level of comfort from buying a test online or walking into a pharmacy and buying a test to take at home. For others, it may mean getting the test from a community healthcare provider but taking it \u2013 and more importantly getting results \u2013 at home and in private, with the opportunity to follow up with a physician if necessary. <\/span>Both scenarios support the trend toward consumers taking charge of their health via reliable, easy-to-use testing and sample collection. The more we know about ourselves, the more control we have regarding our individual and collective health. This information helps each of us take better care of ourselves, and ultimately has the power to improve our health and influence our longevity. <\/span>The CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 be tested for HIV at least once. For people at higher risk, the CDC recommends getting tested once a year or more often, depending on risk factors. <\/span>On this National HIV Testing Day, I encourage you to learn more about HIV testing and if you need one, to get tested \u2013 your way.<\/span>","summary":null}]}