National HIV Testing Week: Give HIV the Finger!

11 February 2022

This week has marked National HIV Testing Week. This year’s campaign focusses on promoting regular testing among the most affected population groups, to reduce the number of people diagnosed late and living with undiagnosed HIV.

Why test for HIV?

People can live with HIV and display no symptoms for several years so testing is essential to know your HIV status. Being diagnosed as early as possible helps reduce transmission, allows you to start treatment early and ultimately improves health outcomes. With effective treatment, there is no risk of passing the virus on to sexual partners (Undetectable = Untransmittable).

HIV statistics in the UK remain encouraging – in 2019, new HIV diagnoses were at their lowest level seen in almost 20 years, with significant reductions seen among younger, White, gay and bisexual men in London (1). However, 1 in 20 people living with HIV are currently unaware of their status with 42% (640 of 1540) of new diagnoses in 2020 in England defined as late¹(2).

For the first time in a decade, more heterosexual people are being diagnosed with HIV than gay and bisexual men, with heterosexual people of Black ethnicity² and heterosexual people born outside of the UK particularly affected; with 47% and 67% of new HIV diagnoses (from those who acquire HIV through heterosexual contact) occuring in these groups, respectively (3). Crucially, heterosexual men and women are more likely to be diagnosed late (4).

How and where do you test for HIV?

Rapid HIV tests — 20 Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody tests and sample developer solution. Credit: Science Museum, London. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Testing for HIV is a simple finger-prick blood test which can be done at a sexual health clinic, through your GP, through HIV and sexual health charities. Or you can simply order a free self-test kit online just like the fingerprick COVID-19 antibody tests. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, home testing using both lateral flow throat swabs or the self-blood test have become an increasing part of people’s lives. HIV self-testing should become just as routine as early testing will get us closer to eliminating HIV.

Overall, HIV testing coverage across all sexual health services has significantly declined between 2019 and 2020 (2). In parallel, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to unprecedented strains on healthcare systems and economies, with many people living with lifelong conditions (including HIV) being affected by disruptions to diagnosis, treatment, and care (5).

A need remains to establish HIV testing as standard of care. The UK HIV Commission reports that similar opt-out testing services (similar to antenatal testing) should be put in place in settings such as emergency departments, primary care services and prisons (6). For instance, Imperial College NHS Trust offers a HIV test (with permission) for anyone aged over 16 requiring blood tests whilst visiting emergency departments.

The UK government has pledged a commitment for no new HIV transmissions by 2030 in England (6). Testing is crucial for us to reach the UNAIDS targets so this week, GIVE HIV THE FINGER: a finger-prick is all it takes!

Further information

You can follow the latest from #HIVTestingWeek on Twitter: @HIVPreventionEn

National HIV prevention programme for England commissioned by @OHID and @DHSCgovuk and managed by @THTorguk

Find out more about PERC’s HIV research

Projects:

Determinants of health and wellbeing among people living with HIV in the UK: a mixed methods exploration of the impact of structural and social factors
COVID-19 impact on people living with HIV in the UK
Barriers and facilitators to PrEPaccess in underserved populations in England.