Confidential versus Anonymous HIV Testing

The Alliance Health Project provides confidential testing only. For anonymous testing, please contact the Asian Pacific Islander Wellness Center at (415) 292-3400.

Confidential Testing

Testing confidentially means that you give your name, your date of birth, and your contact information. As of April 2006, due to a change in state law, AHP must send the names of people who test HIV-positive to the San Francisco Department of Public Health's AIDS Office, where it is kept under the strictest security.

The Department of Public Health then sends your name to the California Office of AIDS. There, it will be turned into a non-name code that is sent to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control Prevention. This process enables the CDC and the Office of AIDS to know how many people living in each county and state have HIV, ensuring that they properly fund services in each locality.

One particularly useful aspect of confidential testing is that you can get your results in writing. If you test HIV-positive, a written result enables you to access medical or psychosocial support services. Having your results in writing may also be helpful if you want to show partners when disclosing your HIV status. If you are concerned about giving your name, we encourage you to speak with your counselor about your concerns.

Anonymous Testing

Testing anonymously means that you are not asked to provide your name or other personally identifying information at any time during the counseling and testing experience. Your testing provider may use some other unique code to identify you as an individual and link you to your test results. You will not be able to obtain a written copy of an anonymous test result.