Re: Home HIV testing kits... I would use one on the premise that they are as reliable as, say, home pregnancy testing kits. Should such HIV kits become available I believe that like pregnancy testing kits, they should be available off the shelf rather than over the counter - it seems to make people 'less shy' about buying them for starters, plus if an over the counter HIV kit was treated like the morning after pill, as well as a potentially prohibitive price the 'over the counter' thing would put people off (FFS Levonelle is about £20 over the counter and not everyone can get to their bloody doctor in time to get it, and it's not nice being stood in Boots being grilled by a random pharmacist about why you want it etc)
As for using one as an avoidance of a GUM clinic, in my case this would be due to prior poor experiences: I have been treated like shit - one doctor in particular treated me as if I was 'dirty' as soon as I walked in before I was tested (not that they should treat anyone as 'dirty' regardless if they know they have X, Y and Z or not). The nurses and receptionists were all fab though :-)
no subject
I would use one on the premise that they are as reliable as, say, home pregnancy testing kits. Should such HIV kits become available I believe that like pregnancy testing kits, they should be available off the shelf rather than over the counter - it seems to make people 'less shy' about buying them for starters, plus if an over the counter HIV kit was treated like the morning after pill, as well as a potentially prohibitive price the 'over the counter' thing would put people off (FFS Levonelle is about £20 over the counter and not everyone can get to their bloody doctor in time to get it, and it's not nice being stood in Boots being grilled by a random pharmacist about why you want it etc)
As for using one as an avoidance of a GUM clinic, in my case this would be due to prior poor experiences: I have been treated like shit - one doctor in particular treated me as if I was 'dirty' as soon as I walked in before I was tested (not that they should treat anyone as 'dirty' regardless if they know they have X, Y and Z or not). The nurses and receptionists were all fab though :-)