Confidential versus Anonymous HIV Testing

Confidential Testing

Testing confidentially means that you give your name, your social security number and your date of birth. 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, you may test anonymously first and then re-test “confidentially” if you receive an HIV-positive result.

Anonymous Testing

Testing anonymously means that we will not ask you for your name at any time during the counseling and testing experience. We will use a “Unique Testing Code” to identify you as an individual without using your name in our data system and your “Specimen Lab Number” to identify your test results. We do not report the names of people who test anonymously—even if they test HIV-positive—to anyone, and we do not give you anything in writing about your test result.