June 27 is National HIV Testing Day. While the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone 13-64 get tested for HIV at least once, it is estimated that 1 in 8 people with HIV in the U.S. don’t know their status. The only way to know your status is to get tested, and knowing your status is essential to ending the epidemic. With support from the New Jersey Department of Health, the FXB Center launched a high-profile campaign, Ask for an HIV Test, which aims to increase awareness about the importance of HIV testing and encourage consumers to prioritize sexual health and normalize asking for a test during clinical visits without the fear or shame often associated with HIV.
Learn more about this initiative in Rutgers Today’s Q&A, Why Ask for an HIV Test? To Start the Conversation – and End an Epidemic with project leads Judy Collins and Jamie Steiger.