Reported HIV cases on rise at IU

Three positive HIV tests have been reported to the IU Health Center since July 2008, the highest number in 15 years, a health center official said.  

“It may seem like a small number out of thousands of people, but it means a lot,” said Kathryn Brown, a health educator at IU Health and Wellness. “Three is a large number for the IU Health Center considering that it is rare to get one case reported in a year’s time. In the last 15 years, there has not been such a number.”

In 2008, 12 new cases of HIV were reported by Monroe County residents living with the disease, according the Indiana State Department of Health Web site.

Senior Charise Heath stressed the importance of recognizing the prevalence of HIV.  

“On a campus like this, which has a lot of students who are upper-middle class, there can be a stigma about acknowledging HIV,” Heath said. “It seems like a distant thing to most people.”

Heath said the reason why HIV is so distant for many people could be because of the media and their tendency to report discrepancies of information concerning HIV.

“It’s important to realize that anyone can get HIV,” sophomore Maria Rasche said.
“You have to get tested.”

Sophomore Adeel Chaudhry, co-director of the IU chapter of Student Global AIDS Campaign, said he encourages students to get tested because HIV cases are on the rise.

He said he has read articles about an increase in cases in some of the United States’ largest metropolitan areas.

“I think the fact that HIV/AIDS is on the rise in major cities means that people should be concerned,” she said. “People are becoming more aware of the need to get tested and look for available options.”

Penny Caudill, administrator of the Monroe County Health Department, said it is important for students to know their options when it comes to being tested and treated.

The Monroe County Health Department offers confidential STD screenings that include HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis for $15. The price also includes treatment, confidential partner follow-up and referral. The screenings take place Tuesdays beginning in April from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Futures Family Health Clinic located at 338 S. Walnut St.

Patients can meet with a clinician or nurse practitioner if they test positive or experience any painful symptoms that show signs of STD infection.

Lacy Hazelgrove, disease intervention specialist of the Monroe County Health Department, said statistics reported to the Monroe County Health Department show that as of 2007, 76.3 percent of all gonorrhea cases and 83.7 percent of all chlamydia cases belong to the 15 to 24 age group.

“While these people may not necessarily be students, these statistics should be relevant to the IU community,” Hazelgrove said.

Junior Dannielle Grayer said that to promote safer habits among students, there should be more advertising on campus.

“A greater outreach to students may encourage them to do the right thing for themselves,” Grayer said.

Sophomore Sean Buckner said that people should get tested regardless of age, race and statistics.

“There should be a lot of publicity for a large event on campus,” he said.

Caudill encourages anyone interested in being tested to schedule appointments so that they can be treated.

“The 15 to 24 age group is consistently the highest at-risk group,” Caudill said. “If you are protecting yourself, then you can avoid infection. If you are having unprotected sex and experiencing symptoms, you may be at risk for infection.”

Chaudhry said he would suggest consulting Positive Link, which does testing for free, and for students interested in statistical information and facts about HIV and AIDS should consider going to the Center for Sexual Health Promotion.