Your reasons for requesting testing may vary greatly. You might consider yourself at risk because of an unsafe sexual encounter. You might be concerned that your long-term partner has had an unsafe sexual encounter. You might have shared a needle with a stranger at a party. The methods of transmission of HIV and a whole host of STI’s are well known. Most of us are aware that HIV can be transmitted through such activities as unprotected sex or the sharing of needles. Or perhaps you simply feel that you are responsible for your own health - it is not unreasonable to want to include routine HIV and STI testing as part of your regular health maintenance plan.

But imagine going in to your family doctor’s office and requesting STI or HIV testing for your own reason, and being told, “You don’t need an HIV test.”

Whether you are requesting a test because you believe that you have engaged in a risky activity, or simply as part of your regular health routine, you have a right to have access to testing. Unfortunately, in a province where there is a much-discussed shortage of doctors, your family doctor may not always have the time to spend with you to understand your risk factors. Or you may not want to share that personal information at the time of requesting a test.

“We are certainly seeing increasing rates of HIV across the province as the statistics demonstrate. We’re also seeing huge rates of STI’s,” comments Susan Cress, Executive Director for AIDS Calgary, referring to current trends in Alberta. In 2007 there was a 29% increase in newly reported cases over 2005, from 175 to 225. Between the period of 2000 and 2005, we had witnessed a momentary drop and then a levelling off of newly reported cases. Although the recent increase could be attributed to Alberta’s booming population, we have also seen an increase in the rate of cases (from 5.4 in 100,000 to 6.6 in 100,000).

“Testing should be a part of routine health management. You certainly don’t want to be finding out and looking at initial treatment for HIV that may have been living in your body for 10 years,” remarks Cress.

So what do you do when a doctor tries talking you out of testing? You have a few options, and the first is to be insistent with your doctor. Your health is your responsibility, and you have the right to request HIV or any STI testing as you deem necessary. So if your doctor resists your initial request, simply follow up with a firm second request. Take this opportunity to become an ambassador and educator for sexual health and wellness by explaining to your doctor the importance you see in testing.

If that fails, if you are simply not comfortable pressing the issue, or if you prefer your test to take place in a confidential environment, Calgarians can consider visiting the STD Clinic in the Sheldon M Chumir Health Centre.

Above all else, don’t allow yourself to be bullied out of taking your sexual health and wellness into your own hands.