2008 Woodie Awards
Students receive free HIV testing
By: Ashante Thomas
Issue date: 12/5/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Lorrie Youngs wants students to know there's a good chance they never will be able to tell if their partner is HIV positive.
She said relationships are based on blind faith.
"You have to go on their word," the health education supervisor for the Central Michigan District Health Department said. "One out of four people don't know they are positive."
She said sexually active students and those involved in intravenous drug use need to test regularly for HIV.
According to Michigan HIV news Web site, mihivnews.com, more than 500 new cases have been diagnosed in Michigan this year.
"HIV rates in Isabella County have increased," Youngs said. "We've actually had six new cases this year."
On Monday, 18 people got free anonymous HIV testing at the Central Michigan District Health Department, 2012 E. Preston St.
Youngs said people engaged in commercial sex or who have multiple partners should get tested every three to six months. Those in a long term monogamous relationship should be tested once a year.
Patients receive pre-counseling before the test is administered, and additional counseling when they receive the results.
"We do counseling with every test session," Youngs said. "We also come up with a risk reduction plan."
The risk reduction plan outlines the patient's level of risk and steps that can be taken to decrease it.
Some students increased their awareness of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases by attending the "Talk Sex with Safer Sex Patrol: AIDS Edition" discussion at 8 p.m. Monday in the Bovee University Center Lake Huron Room.
Safer Sex Patrol Student Coordinator Linsey Grove presented information about the growth of the AIDS virus in the U.S., myths surrounding the virus and ways students can be proactive about their sexual health.
"When HIV first came out, it was known as the gay disease," the Montgomery junior said. "There is still a lot of stigma around that."
Grove said that myth is one of the reasons many teens and young adults are not proactive about their sexual health. They don't think it can happen to them, she said.
"It's not just some unseen population," she said. "You obviously can't otherworldly tell if people are living with AIDS or HIV."
Detroit senior Ashley Turner said health care workers and sexual health advocates should focus more on how HIV and other STDs affect the individual instead of quoting national statistics.
"They need to understand the urgency and the possibility that it could be you," she said.
At the end of the Safer Sex Patrol discussion, condoms, pamphlets and ONE bracelets were made available to attendees.
news@cm-life.com
She said relationships are based on blind faith.
"You have to go on their word," the health education supervisor for the Central Michigan District Health Department said. "One out of four people don't know they are positive."
She said sexually active students and those involved in intravenous drug use need to test regularly for HIV.
According to Michigan HIV news Web site, mihivnews.com, more than 500 new cases have been diagnosed in Michigan this year.
"HIV rates in Isabella County have increased," Youngs said. "We've actually had six new cases this year."
On Monday, 18 people got free anonymous HIV testing at the Central Michigan District Health Department, 2012 E. Preston St.
Youngs said people engaged in commercial sex or who have multiple partners should get tested every three to six months. Those in a long term monogamous relationship should be tested once a year.
Patients receive pre-counseling before the test is administered, and additional counseling when they receive the results.
"We do counseling with every test session," Youngs said. "We also come up with a risk reduction plan."
The risk reduction plan outlines the patient's level of risk and steps that can be taken to decrease it.
Some students increased their awareness of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases by attending the "Talk Sex with Safer Sex Patrol: AIDS Edition" discussion at 8 p.m. Monday in the Bovee University Center Lake Huron Room.
Safer Sex Patrol Student Coordinator Linsey Grove presented information about the growth of the AIDS virus in the U.S., myths surrounding the virus and ways students can be proactive about their sexual health.
"When HIV first came out, it was known as the gay disease," the Montgomery junior said. "There is still a lot of stigma around that."
Grove said that myth is one of the reasons many teens and young adults are not proactive about their sexual health. They don't think it can happen to them, she said.
"It's not just some unseen population," she said. "You obviously can't otherworldly tell if people are living with AIDS or HIV."
Detroit senior Ashley Turner said health care workers and sexual health advocates should focus more on how HIV and other STDs affect the individual instead of quoting national statistics.
"They need to understand the urgency and the possibility that it could be you," she said.
At the end of the Safer Sex Patrol discussion, condoms, pamphlets and ONE bracelets were made available to attendees.
news@cm-life.com
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