5 Differences Between Anonymous and Confidential HIV Testing

Did you know that there is a difference between anonymous and confidential HIV testing?  There are actually a number of differences.  What we offer on our site is an anonymous home HIV test.  Read on to learn the differences between the two:

1.  Anonymous testing is not offered in every state. This is one of the reasons why the FDA Approved home HIV test is so important.  You simply cannot walk into a clinic and obtain an anonymous test in 11 states.  Your testing will still be accurate and confidential, but the anonymous testing option will not be available to you.  (Check out the Kaiser Family Foundation site for more information on this subject).

2.  In anonymous testing your name is never revealed.  In confidential testing, your name is reported to local government health officials. This is perhaps the greatest difference between the two types of testing.  If your test is found positive in confidential testing, your name is reported to local public health officials.  This is not necessarily a bad thing – such information is collected to provide better medical services and allows health officials to gauge the impact of HIV/AIDS on their population.  Confidential testing does NOT release your name by default to insurance companies or employers.  The federal government does not receive your name either, only the state.  Regulations vary state by state with confidential testing – if this is a concern of yours, please check with your state government for more information.

3.  Anonymous testing protects you from any and all risk of discrimination, or negative social impact from your test results. As mentioned above, confidential testing does not mean that your insurance company or employer will learn you were tested, or that you tested positive.  But as HIV/AIDS resource The Body points out, if you sign a release form to notify your personal physician, your status will be entered into your medical record forever, and may be available to employers and insurance companies.  In the case of anonymous testing, you run no risk of this whatsoever – you’re never a name, only a number.

4.  Anonymous HIV testing can be done in your home; confidential testing cannot. ALL of the FDA Approved home HIV tests on the market are anonymous.  You receive your results over the phone by supplying a numeric code – no-one ever knows your name, and only you know your results.  Since at the moment there are only two FDA Approved home HIV tests (both of which we carry), we can guarantee that home testing is 100% anonymous.

5.  Anonymous testing is the most private type of HIV testing you can get. If privacy is your priority, confidential testing will probably fall short for you for the reasons above – your name is reported, and you will have to go to a clinic or a doctor of some sort.  An anonymous home HIV test comes to your door in discreet packaging, and identifies you with an anonymous 11 digit code.  The package that is shipped to the lab doesn’t even include your return address.

The most important thing is to get tested, whether your choose anonymous or confidential testing.  Lots of people are doing it – the CDC reports 16-22 million people get tested per year – but still, not enough people are.  Make sure you take time to learn your status, either through confidential or anonymous HIV testing.