My First HIV Positive Result: $5 Can Mean So Much
I was at a community event in West Philly. My team and I provided community outreach in hopes of getting more people tested. In addition to offering sexual health education, we also offered free condoms, personal lubricants, and a $5 Family Dollar gift card.
HIV community testing
As a recent graduate, I was new to the testing field and as you can imagine, very eager to be involved. I was finally able to get someone’s attention and led him back to our testing room to complete an HIV test. I remember him being very calm, talkative, and not nervous at all. In fact, he made the actual testing procedure a breeze.
If you are familiar with an HIV test, you know the results appear similar to a pregnancy test (if you have ever seen one). One line (or dot) means negative/non-reactive, two lines mean reactive/positive. His testing results appeared super-fast and the test was very clear to read.
Positive test results
As we are carrying on with our conversation, I am low-key freaking out in my head. I am thinking, "OMG I got a positive!” During this time, my colleague left to buy more gift cards, so I was the only tester at the location. I remembered everything that I was taught and took the time to explain his results and what the next steps would be. To my surprise, he did not seem shocked at all. He explained, due to his lifestyle and behaviors, he expected a reactive test result.
After completing all the necessary steps and providing him with follow-up information, I gave him what he was patiently waiting for---the $5 Family Dollar gift card. Fast forward an hour later, I found out that he knew his HIV status before taking the test! He called his case manager, who happened to be another colleague of mine, and shared how horrible he felt for lying. He said, “I can tell that my tester is a very kind person, but I really needed that $5 dollar gift card”.
Barriers to care and resources
It was at that point I realized that finding a positive result and providing linkage to care was not the only goal. Providing quality HIV care and resources is just as important. Many people happen to face barriers such as homelessness, transportation difficulties, financial constraints, and more. Although it was not under truthful circumstances, I was happy to know we were able to assist and serve as a quality resource in the time of need and that’s what I aim to continue to do.
Interested in sharing your own diagnosis story, treatment experience, or another aspect of living with HIV?
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