Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is now considered a long-term condition. However, HIV can only become a long-term condition if it is diagnosed early and antiretroviral therapy is commenced immediately. Individuals with HIV who are diagnosed late have an increased risk of death in the year after diagnosis compared to those diagnosed promptly. This article outlines HIV testing policy in the UK, the importance of the early diagnosis of HIV, the barriers to HIV testing, and how to offer testing in a range of settings.
Nursing Standard. 30, 41, 52-60. doi: 10.7748/ns.30.41.52.s45
Correspondence Peer reviewAll articles are subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software.
Received: 19 May 2015
Accepted: 15 March 2016
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