Wednesday is the seventh National HIV Testing Day. The focus of this day is to encourage people to get tested for HIV.

Those concerned that they might be infected with this virus have several options at their fingertips – home test kits, free state tests and tests available at any medical clinic.

Brian Dunn, health promotion coordinator for the Student Health Center, said the health center isn’t doing anything special to promote National HIV Testing Day.

“Our philosophy is if it’s important enough, we should promote it throughout the year,” he said.

Marsha Scofield, HIV prevention counselor for the Student Health Center, said the center provides free, confidential HIV testing to any Iowa resident on Wednesdays and Fridays.

A person should wait for six months after having unprotected sex, using IV drugs or participating in any type of risky behavior before having the test done because HIV antibodies may not be produced for months.

If a person decides to take the test, a swab is rubbed on the inside of his or her cheek, Scofield said. Results are given in seven to 10 business days.

She said that last year the health center had about 1,000 HIV testing contacts, including initial meetings, test results and counseling patients both at the center and at outreach sites.

Since Iowa switched from an anonymous HIV blood test to the confidential test in 1997, fewer people have used the free service.

“I think it dropped because they were worried about who would know,” she said.

With the new procedure, a public health nurse discretely contacts the people with results.

For people who are especially concerned about privacy, home testing kits are available.

Home Access provides the only do-it-yourself HIV kit, which the company claims is more than 99.9 percent accurate.

The kits can be purchased at the health center and several pharmacies, including Osco Drug and Walgreens.

Sarah Carlson, regional director for Planned Parenthood, said that Planned Parenthood does not offer the home kit but does provide an oral test that costs $30.

She said that if a person is HIV positive he or she is given information about HIV networks, AIDS coalitions and physicians.

“There’s a network of people throughout the state to help them obtain the support they need,” she said.

Carlson said that they do an average of 320 tests annually and only a few of the tests turn out positive.

She said each year Planned Parenthood tests more people for the virus.

“I think [the increase] is because of people’s greater awareness of HIV risks,” Carlson said. “Part of the testing is helping people to be aware.”