HIV Testing & Disclosure

HIV is a serious infectious disease, however treatment can make it very manageable. For this reason, it is important to undergo testing if you think you have been exposed. You can be tested through a doctor's office or a community medical clinic. There are also special clinics where you can choose to have the testing done anonymously. Public health officers are also able to order testing to protect public health.

Anonymous testing takes place in special clinics. Individuals are not asked to provide their name or any other identifying information. They are assigned an anonymous code that is also assigned to the blood sample collected for testing. No one else has access to information that discloses the test results and the identity of the individual tested. For tracking purposes, HIV-positive results are reported to the province. Only the test result is reported, however, not the individual's name.

In Saskatchewan, a designated public health officer may order an individual to be tested for HIV. They can do this if they believe the person has HIV and testing is necessary for the protection of public health. They may also order things such as counselling to discuss ways to decrease or eliminate a public health risk. These orders may be appealed to a court.

Doctors must keep a patient’s HIV and AIDS status confidential unless the law allows or requires them to release the information. In Saskatchewan, HIV and AIDS are both classified as category II infectious diseases. This means they must be reported to various health agencies. Unless testing was done anonymously, these reports will include the patient’s name.

Anyone who has tested positive for HIV or AIDS must inform people who they may have infected unless the testing was done anonymously. They can either do this themselves or ask a health care professional to do it for them. This allows the person who may have been infected to be tested. If they are not tested, their health may be affected and they may further spread the disease.

Individuals should educate themselves about ways to avoid transmitting the virus. Others can be infected, for example, through sexual activity or sharing needles. If you know that you have HIV, you must tell others before engaging in sexual activity if there is a realistic chance of giving them the virus. Failing to do so may result in a criminal charge such as aggravated sexual assault. Criminal charges could also result from other types of activity if the individual knowingly places another person at risk.