Get Tested!
Find Out More about HIV and STDS
Ohio HIV/AIDS/STD Hotline
(800) 322-2437
OhioAIDSHotline@catf.net
Testing Locations
Stonewall Columbus Center on High
No Testing on Monday, January 16, 2012 because of Martin Luther King Day
No Testing on Monday, February 20, 2012 because of Presidents Day
HIV Testing Upstairs 4th Avenue Door / STD Testing Downstairs Center High Street Doors
1160 North High Street
Columbus, OH 43201
(614) 299-7764
Free Rapid HIV Testing
Mondays 1-5:30pm
You must arrive by 5:30pm to be tested. Testing takes 30 minutes.
Walk-in Service – You Do Not Need an Appointment
Free Syphilis, Gonorrhea, and Chlamydia Testing in addition to regular Rapid HIV Testing
A Blood and Urine Sample will be collected during the STD testing.
2nd Monday of Each Month 1 to 5pm
Walk-in Service – You Do Not Need an Appointment
No Testing on Federal Holidays
AIDS Resource Center Ohio (Formerly Columbus AIDS Task Force)
4400 N. High Street, Columbus, OH 43214
(614) 299-2437
STD Testing (gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia)
Dates Change Monthly – Visit Their Website for Current Testing Dates
Rapid HIV Testing Walk-in Service:
(Note: You DO NOT need an appointment for Tuesday and Wednesday testing times.)
Tuesdays: 330-700 pm
Wednesdays: 11am-2pm
Every other Thursday: by appointment only between 4-6 pm.
Call 340-6729 to make an appointment. – Calls will be answered within a few days. (Note: Appointments fill up fast so call earlier in the week to schedule testing for Thursdays appointments.)
Columbus Health Department
240 Parsons Ave.
(Second Floor)
Columbus OH 43215
Hours
Mon 7:00 am – 3:30 pm
Tue 9:30 am – 6:00 pm
Wed 7:00 am -10:30 am
Thu 7:00 am – 3:30 pm
Fri 7:00 am – 3:30 pm
They may stop seeing patients much earlier in the day on busy clinic days.
(614) 645-7772
Sexual Health Walk-In Clinic
- STD Exams, Tests, and Treatment
- Diagnosis and treatment for Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD’s):
- Chlamydia,Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, Trichomoniasis
Walk- in Clinic. No appointments.
Plan to arrive early. Clinic may fill up quickly.
Picture identification (e.g. Driver’s License, State ID) recommended.
Insurance Cards accepted: Medicaid, Medicare (Part B), CareSource, UnitedHealthcare, Molina Healthcare.
On- site lab provides some same day test results.
Educational information on STD’s.
Referrals made to other community resources such as medical follow-up, social services, and crisis intervention.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a rapid test?
OraQuick Rapid test uses oral fluid that is collected from the mouth using a special collection swab. It uses the oral fluid to look for the presence of HIV antibodies. It produces very quick results, approximately 20 minutes.
Should I get tested?
The following are behaviors that increase your chances of getting HIV. If you answer yes to any, you should definitely get an HIV test.
- Have you injected drugs or shared works (such as needles, syringes) with others?
- Have you had unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex?
- Have you exchanged sex for drugs or money?
- Have you been diagnosed with or treated for hepatitis, tuberculosis (TB), or a sexually transmitted disease (STD), like syphilis?
- Have you had unprotected sex with someone who could answer yes to any of the above questions?
If you have had sex with someone whose history of sex partners and/or drug use is unknown to you or if you or your partner has had many sex partners, then you are at risk of being infected with HIV.
How long after a possible exposure should I wait to get tested?
Many HIV tests are antibody tests that measure the antibodies your body makes against HIV. It can take some time for the immune system to produce enough antibodies for the antibody test to detect and this time period can vary from person to person. This time period is commonly referred to as the “window period.” Most people will develop antibodies in the first 3 months following the time of their infection. In rare cases, it can take up to 6 months to develop antibodies to HIV.
How do HIV tests work?
Once HIV enters the body, the immune system starts to produce antibodies — (chemicals that are part of the immune system that recognize invaders like bacteria and viruses and mobilize the body’s attempt to fight infection). In the case of HIV, these antibodies cannot fight off the infection, but their presence is used to tell if a person has HIV in his or her body. In other words, most HIV tests look for the HIV antibodies rather than looking for HIV itself.
Some tests take a few days for results, but rapid HIV tests can give results in about 20 minutes. All positive HIV tests must be followed up by another test to confirm the positive result. Results of this confirmatory test can take a few days to a few weeks.
