Many health experts believe that a key to reducing the rates of HIV and AIDS infections will be to provide STD testing directly to people’s homes and community centers. It is believed that making testing easier and reducing the stigma of testing will encourage more people to take advantage of the service.
The Akron AIDS Coalition of Ohio has made mobile testing a major part of its mission. The group provides free at-home HIV testing in the Akron area, which has seen dramatic increases in the number of people infected with the disease, according to the West Side Leader.
“We are the only African-American-based organization that provides HIV testing, as the kids would say, in the hood,” Steve Arlington, the group’s executive director, told the news source. “I tell our staff, you have to test people where they are. Next week, they might change their mind.”
He added that the group’s mobile screeners use the fastest HIV testing methods, which can deliver results in as little as 20 minutes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are more than 1 million individuals in the U.S. living with HIV, many of whom are unaware of their infection.