When and where can I get tested?
You can find the whole list of times and places where Testpoint offers its services here: When and where to test?
Who can take a test at Testpoint?
Testpoint is open for transgender people and men who have sex with men. We also welcome LGBTQ people who are new to Sweden and people who sell sex.
Why Testpoint?
At Testpoint we offer rapid HIV testing. You will get your test result within 15 minutes. You can be completely anonymous. The Testpoint staff are active in the LGBTQ community. We have a sex positive attitude, and we have undergone special training for counselling regarding sex, HIV and safer sex. You don’t need to make an appointment, we run walk-in-services.
How does it work?
Taking a small sample of blood from the tip of your finger initiates the test. The blood is placed on the test unit. The test result will be visible on the unit within 15 minutes. The time we wait for the results will be used for voluntary counselling by our trained staff. If you don’t wish to know your result immediately, you can choose to collect it at a later time.
Interpretation
Among our staff, there are people who speak other languages than Swedish and English. In the schedule, you see what languages, and when they work. If you don’t find a language that suits you, and you feel uncomfortable speaking English or Swedish, we use a telephone interpretation service.
How reliable is the test result?
The test we use at Testpoint is the same one used in regular health care. One thing to keep in mind is that it takes approximately eight weeks after a possible exposure to HIV before the test can show an accurate result. So if you were recently exposed to a risk of contracting HIV, the test may not be able to detect an infection in its early stages. In these instances we may ask you to come back within a few weeks to make another test.
Anonymity and discretion
At Testpoint you can be completely anonymous. We don’t keep a record of people who had a test with us, and you don’t have to identify yourself. The Testpoint staff have signed a discretion agreement binding us not to talk with anyone about clients we had at Testpoint.
Why should I take an HIV test?
It’s important to know your HIV status. The only way to know your HIV status is by getting tested. If you have an active sex life we recommend annual HIV-testing, or even more frequently if you have unsafe sex with several partners. People who are diagnosed with HIV have the option to go on treatment to stay healthy. The current recommendation in Sweden is to start antiretroviral treatment within weeks after diagnosis, which efficiently reduces the viral loads in the body. Treatment also dramatically reduces the risk of transmitting HIV to someone else.
What if the test result shows that I have HIV?
If you wish, Testpoint offers fast track referral to the general health care services, if your test result should indicate that you have HIV. The first step of this process is to have a confirmative test, which is standard after a reactive rapid test result. Testpoint co-operates with Venhälsan at Södersjukhuset and the Infektion II at Huddinge sjukhus, but if you live outside of Stockholm we can help you come in contact with the clinic nearest to you.
We will not force anyone to seek medical help and we will not report anyone to the health care without the clients consent. If you need time before contacting health care we can offer counselling at RFSL until you feel ready to see a doctor.
About us
About RFSL
RFSL is the Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer rights. We’re a community based, non profit, organisation founded in 1950. RFSL work for rights and health for LGBTQ people. RFSL has worked with HIV prevention and advocacy since the 80’s.
Read more about us at www.rfsl.se.
About Testpoint
Testpoint is a community based voluntary testing and counselling project run by RFSL Stockholm and RFSL Örebro. The initiative is funded by the Public Health Agency of Sweden (Folkhälsomyndigheten). Testpoint aims to help people who are unaware of their positive HIV-status to gain this knowledge, to promote routine testing among menwho have sex with men, and to offer voluntary counselling concerning safer sex. The key populations targeted in this project are men who have sex with men, transgender people and LGBTQ migrants.
Testpoint makes HIV testing more accessible, starting in Stockholm, by offering HIV testing outside of office hours, at the RFSL-office and in a gay nightclubs, saunas, and in the summertime in outdoor cruising areas, and some other LGBTQ events.
Testing staff
Our staff are chosen for their knowledge on HIV and safer sex. They have undergone special training to perform counselling and HIV testing. We are not health care professionals, but the training to perform HIV testing is the same as health care staff gets to be able to perform rapid testing.
Testing for HIV and STI:s
RFSL’s HIV testing in other cities of Sweden
RFSL have other venues in other cities offering HIV testing, listed here.
Testing clinics in Stockholm
Testpoint only offers HIV testing, hence it is important to see another clinic to test for other sexually transmitted infections.
Venhälsan
Testing clinic for men having sex with men, Södersjukhuset, Stockholm
www.venhalsan.se
Stockholms mottagning för sexuell hälsa
GUM-clinic for everyone, Sabbatsberg, Stockholm.
www.stockholmsexuellhalsa.se
Stockholm mansmottagning
Sexual health clinic for men, Kista
www.stockholmsmansmottagning.se
Clinics in other cities
Youth clinics
Sexual health clinic for young people.
www.umo.se
Testing clinics
You can find a testing clinic near where you are at 1177.se
Support for people living with HIV
PG – Posithiva gruppen
Organisation for gay men living with hiv.
www.posithivagruppen.se
Noaks ark
Organisation offering support for people living with HIV.
Contact
Testpoint:
E-mail: testpoint@rfsl.se
Visiting adress:
Alsnögatan 7, Stockholm
Bus stop: Londonviadukten, buses to Nacka from Slussen
