HIV antibody testing is NOT the same thing as HIV prevention. Ever since the introduction of HIV antibody testing some commentators have unfortunately interpreted the test as if receiving a positive result were necessary and sufficient to ensure that an individual adopts safer sex.

Studies all over the world have shown that there is no clear or universal link between knowledge of HIV antibody status and safer sex behaviour. We know that the only thing that connects HIV antibody testing and the adoption of safer sex is the quality of pre– and post–test counselling, and not the test result itself. Furthermore, such a misunderstanding of the purpose of the HIV antibody test runs the risk of diverting attention from the vital need for ongoing safer sex education for everybody.

A good counsellor can help by seizing the opportunity to counsel about safer sex and safer drug use in the context of antibody testing. Questions which might arise include:

• Does a negative result mean that an individual can carry on having unprotected sex with a partner in the belief that a negative result for one partner confirms that both partners in a relationship are uninfected?
• Is the individual requesting a test in the mistaken belief that sex with a prostitute using a condom is intrinsically more risky than sex with anyone else using a condom?
• What kind of precautions has the individual taken in the past?
• What obstacles might there be to practising those precautions in the future?
• Safer behaviour needs to be both adopted and maintained. Counsellors will need to counsel and support individuals who are at many different stages. Some will need to consider adopting safer behaviour for the first time. Others may need support in maintaining safer behaviour.

For a discussion of safer sex, see Safer sex.

For a discussion of safer drug use techniques, see Drug use.