Hey Dr. Rob,

Thanks for taking the time to inform people who, in many cases, are obsessing and freaking out. I am wanting to get an HIV test in Tennessee. I recently got a new job and I know that if I were to test positive it could really effect my chances of being insured. I know that anonymous testing exists in many states but I'm not sure if TN is one of them. Do you happen to know of any anonymous testing sites in my state? I thought you may have easier access to information whereas, I'm stuck googling. Also, if anonymous testing is not available nearby, I'm probably going to order a test from requestatest.com. How reliable are these at-home tests?

Hi,

Tennessee is a bit distant from my usual stomping grounds. It's possible there may be some anonymous (rather than "confidential") testing sites there, but I don't know for certain. One option would be to use the FDA-approved home test "Home Access Express Test." The test sensitivity and specificity approach 100% and it's completely anonymous. You can read more about the Home Access Express Test as well as anonymous versus confidential HIV testing in the archives of this forum.

Good luck!

Dr. Bob