TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

A rapid HIV test that uses an oral swab is helping local health workers expand their testing efforts this year.

As part of National HIV Testing Day Monday, health workers will offer free tests at Church Inc. in Oildale and the Royale Palms Motel on Union Avenue. That's in addition to rapid testing offered throughout the year on a sliding fee schedule at places such as Clinica Sierra Vista and the Kern County Public Health Department.

The rapid test, in which a patient's mouth and gums are wiped with a swab, reduces the waiting time from about a week to 20 minutes. The results are comparable to the traditional tests. And since this version doesn't require a blood draw, it's easier to take on the road, reaching more and higher-risk people.

"We're taking technology to the people instead of trying to bring them in," said Reville Niccolls, chairman of the Kern County AIDS Advisory Board.

The two sites selected this year will target high-risk populations such as sex workers, the homeless and intravenous drug users. Officials also hope to reach more Latinos and African Americans, both of whom have disproportionately high rates of HIV in Kern County and nationwide.

In Bakersfield, clinics have been using the rapid tests for several years, though this year's mobile centers on the national day represent a new effort.

"We are making strides and doing more outreach in the highest risk areas," Niccolls said. "It's a very transient population and the mentality is 'I don't have AIDS.'"

About 21 percent of people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States don't know they have the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With the conventional blood test, many people who received the test didn't return to get the results, the CDC reported.

"We're assuming that would be the case here as well, which is why we're pushing for the rapid test and more awareness," said Juan Garcia, program director of the Kern Lifeline Project, which is part of Clinica Sierra Vista.

That quick result is especially useful with the transient populations that these one-day clinics will target. People tested at non-clinical outreach sites were more likely to report high-risk heterosexual contact, injection drug use or male-to-male sex, according to the CDC.

The one-day outreach clinics, which are part of a joint effort between Clinica and county Public Health, will offer a private space for testing and sharing results, Garcia said. As a whole, patients tend to appreciate the new test, even if it can be anxiety-provoking, he said.

"It's like taking a plunge -- just do it all at once," Garcia said. "Early detection is crucial."

Elizabeth Lua, an HIV case worker at Clinica Sierra Vista, says the test can evoke intense emotions. She's seen patients sweating, crying or pacing the clinic as they await results. Fortunately, their wait is short.

"When you give them the negative results, they're crying, laughing, praying and saying 'thank you,'" she said.

Even if the results are positive, the patient can be proactive about seeking treatments that will improve and extend their lives. At Clinica Sierra Vista, a grant from the Ryan White Care Act allows the facility to provide HIV treatment at a minimal cost, Garcia said. With medication, HIV positive individuals can live relatively normal lives, experts say.

As of December, Kern County reported 645 people living with HIV and 1,291 living with AIDS, according to the California Department of Public Health.

Denise Smith, the county's director of disease control, says the increased use of rapid HIV testing could have implications for broader use in the community. The health department is hoping testing will become more routine, with people age 13-to-64 getting tested at least once, and those with risky behavior once a year.

"We're trying to normalize it," Smith said. "If you get a physical, it should be another test, just like you get your cholesterol taken."

The county is looking into expanding the frequency of non-traditional testing centers, such as the Church Inc. mobile center that will be used Monday, she said.

Church Inc. Pastor Eddie Houghtaling says the mobile effort will show people in the Oildale community that city and county health workers care about them. The outreach is important for a population that oftentimes only goes to the doctor when there's an emergency. Testing for HIV isn't always on their radar.

"The power of the drug has so much pull on people in their lives that they don't want to think about it," said Houghtaling, himself a former intravenous drug user.

To attract more people, Houghtaling will host a barbecue and bring a local band. His hope is that hamburgers, hot dogs and the trust Church Inc. has established in the community will result in a big turnout Monday.

"When we throw down a barbecue, people are going to respond well," he said. "We'll be feeding and testing."