What do HIV test results mean? How accurate are HIV tests? If a partner
tests positive what does that tell you about your own HIV status? What if he
tests negative? These are some of the questions that will be addressed in
the latest advertising campaign from the gay men's health charity GMFA's. 
GMFA's Matthew Hodson said, "When we do work on the scene we quite often
encounter men who aren't clear that the term 'HIV positive' means that
someone is infected with HIV. Or that in some circumstances the test for HIV
may not be accurate. We felt it was worth looking again at some of the
information around HIV status to check that everyone is properly
understanding the messages that HIV prevention organisations are putting
out."

Research by Sigma found that some gay men believed that only men who had
taken an HIV test had an HIV status. "Everyone has an HIV status, whether or
not they have been tested, whether or not they talk about it, whether or not
they know what it is. Questions about HIV status, our own or other people's,
have become a part of gay men's everyday life," continues Hodson, "and so
our campaign presents this information in some of the same ways that we may
encounter information every day, such as signposts or graffiti."
Details of London testing centres and more information about HIV testing can
be found at www.metromate.org.uk
 

If more information about this or any other GMFA campaign or action is
required, 
Contact: Matthew Hodson
Day Phone Number: 020 7738 6872
Night Phone Number: 07792 412 834