Group of people talking to each other

Sexual Health

HIV

Nearly 1.2 million people in the U.S. have human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and nearly 13% of them don’t know it. Further and more testing is paramount in the continuing fight against this life-threatening illness. To complicate matters, certain populations—among racial, ethnic and sexuality demographics—are disproportionately affected by the disease.1

Patient management

As you know, managing patients who potentially have HIV or have contracted it recently begins with ardent testing. For people with undiagnosed HIV, testing is the first step in maintaining a healthy life and preventing HIV transmission.2

Benefits of routine screening

The time is now to begin routine screening for HIV. About 40% of new HIV infections are transmitted by people undiagnosed and unaware they have HIV.

The CDC advises and calls for:

  • Routine HIV screening of adults, adolescents and pregnant women in U.S. healthcare settings
     
  • Reducing ethnic, racial and disproportionately affected minority barriers to HIV testing.

Together we can stop HIV.4

How often should patients be screened?

The CDC recommends that individuals between the ages of 13 to 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine healthcare and that those with risk factors get tested more frequently. Patients who may be at high risk for HIV should be screened at least annually.

View additional resources

 

Contact us to learn more about Labcorp’s women’s health testing and services 

References:

  1. HIV.gov U.S. Statistics Fast Facts. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/testing/index.html. Accessed May 9, 2022.
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). HIV Testing. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/clinicians/screening/benefits.html. Accessed May 9, 2022.
  3. 2021 Recommendations for Well-Woman Care – A Well-Woman Chart. Women’s Preventive Services Initiative. Available at https://www.womenspreventivehealth.org/wellwomanchart/. Accessed May 16, 2022.
  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Let’s Stop HIV Together. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/clinicians/screening/index.html. Accessed May 9, 2022.