Why should women be testing?
Although often associated with men, in recent years we’ve seen a significant increase in HIV diagnoses among women. Across the UK in 2022, 36.4% of new HIV diagnoses were in women.
Yet despite this, women are less likely to test for HIV compared to men, and testing uptake among women has concerningly declined between 2019 and 2023.
Let’s change that.
Women are not only less likely to test for HIV, but they are also less likely to be offered tests by healthcare providers. This disparity in testing is a critical issue that needs to be addressed.
“[At a clinician level] women are not being offered standard HIV testing or prevention that is in line with the proportion of new diagnoses among this demographic.”
– Annie Howard, National AIDS Trust’s policy and research manager
Testing is free, easy, and confidential. Take charge of your health and book a test today, and encourage your friends to do the same.
PrEP (short for Pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a daily pill that can help prevent HIV. It’s a powerful tool for women to take control of their health and protect themselves from HIV. PrEP is especially important for women who are at higher risk of HIV, such as those with partners who are HIV positive or those who engage in high-risk sexual practices.
By taking these steps, we can work towards reducing the impact of HIV on women and achieving the goal of ending new HIV diagnoses in England by 2030.
