Free HIV Testing | Reasons to Get Tested |
What is HIV? What is AIDS? | Risky Behaviors |
What are the Symptoms? | The Test | Counseling |
Services | Community Outreach

Why Should You Get Tested?

If the test shows you are not infected . . .

• You may be able to stop worrying that you are infected.
• The free counseling that is part of the testing visit will teach you how to prevent becoming infected.

If the test shows you are infected . . .

• You can get early treatment that will help delay or prevent AIDS or other serious infections.
• The free counseling will teach you how to avoid spreading the HIV virus.
• If you want to get pregnant, you can take advantage of treatments that reduce the risk to your baby.

What is HIV?

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is the virus that causes AIDS. The virus infects the body’s immune system. Your immune system is your body’s defense system. The HIV virus has the ability to enter a cell and create copies of itself and weaken your body’s ability to protect itself against infections and disease.

What is AIDS?

AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) is a disease caused by the HIV virus. Not everyone who has HIV gets AIDS. AIDS is a diagnosis that a doctor makes when looking at a person’s overall health and lab tests.

Behaviors That Put You at Risk of HIV

Have you ever . . . ?

• Had sex (vaginal, oral or anal) with either a man or a woman without using a condom?
• Had an STD?
• Used IV drugs or had a partner who used IV drugs?
• Been tattooed with unsterilized needles or had body piercing?
• Exchanged blood by cutting or biting?
• Had a blood transfusion in another country or in the U.S. before 1985?
• Had more than one sex partner at a time?
• Received or had sex for drugs or money?
  

Did you know . . .?

Getting pregnant if you have the HIV virus can be risky for your baby because mothers can pass the virus to babies during pregnancy or by breast feeding or through body fluids.

What Are the Symptoms?

Some people who have HIV have no physical symptoms. Some people do.

Do you have any of these symptoms that are unexplained?

• Night sweats
• Fever
• Unexplained headache
• Mouth sores
• White patches in the mouth
• Swollen glands in the neck or armpits
• Dry cough
• Sudden weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Anemia (low blood count)
• Diarrhea
• Sores on genitals
• STDs
• Yeast infection
• Recurrent shingles

How Does HIV Testing at Keystone Health Work?

• The test is an oral swab that requires no blood draw.
• The swab is tested for HIV antibodies. The results will be available within a few days.
  

All results are confidential and you must return to Keystone to pick up the results in person. No results can be given by phone.

• If HIV antibodies are found, the test is “positive.” Having a positive result does not mean you will become sick immediately or that you have AIDS. A follow-up test is done to confirm the results.
• If no HIV antibodies are found, the test is “negative.” However, if it has been less than 3 months since you had a risky behavior, you could still be infected and should be tested again at a later date.
• An “indeterminate” result means you should be tested again.

Remember: The test is able to detect the antibodies your body makes to fight HIV if you have been infected.

If you test positive for HIV, Keystone has doctors that specialize in the treatment of HIV.

HIV Counseling Can Be Helpful

The free, confidential HIV counseling you receive at Keystone can …

• Help you decide whether to get tested.
• Offer you a chance to learn how to protect yourself and others from HIV.
• Help you to deal with a “positive” test result.
  

Call 717-217-4242 if you have questions about the HIV counseling at the Keystone HIV Program.

What the Keystone HIV Program Offers

Keystone has doctors who specialize in the treatment of HIV/AIDS.

Our experienced, supportive staff will help you get the care you need. They are familiar with community resources and can serve as guides through the complicated systems that HIV-positive people may have to negotiate. This can include helping you access insurance, medications, housing, support groups and transportation,

For more information, call 717-217-4350.

Many people are not aware of the danger of HIV/AIDS. Every year on average 60,000 people in the United States become newly infected. It is therefore vital that we all do our part in learning the truth about HIV and AIDS.

The Keystone HIV Program not only provides services in our office, we also have staff who go into the community to provide education, testing, and risk assessment.

HIV Prevention Starts with Education

Education is critical to preventing the spread of HIV. Everyone needs to be aware of and have the basic knowledge about the spread of HIV/AIDS. The focus of our Outreach Program is to educate all populations about the risk and prevention of HIV/AIDS, being aware that education needs to be continuing because high-risk groups change over time. Community education also helps us promote awareness and tackle the problem of stigma and discrimination.

Where Should Education Take Place?

Anywhere! Since anyone can get infected, education can take place in churches, schools, workplaces, clinics, hospitals, colleges, universities, health fairs, newspapers, and on radio and television. Our Outreach Program partners with any of these resources — and others you might think of — to educate the public.

Our Outreach Program

Our program has been in the community for many years providing testing and education. We offer outreach events to Franklin, Fulton and southern Cumberland Counties.

In addition to testing individuals in our office, free testing is available to large and small groups at any location upon request.

Our education program is designed to accommodate the diversity of our community. We tailor our presentations to meet the needs of our audience. We focus on making education an interactive experience with an open dialogue of questions and answers. Our goal is to share scientifically proven information that will dispel the myths and misinformation about HIV/AIDS.

If you would like more information about sponsoring a free educational presentation or testing event, call 717-217-4242.

Keystone Health is grateful for the grants we receive to provide all HIV/AIDS services.
These grants are provided in part through the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the Health Resources Services Administration, and the HIV/AIDS Bureau.