Show Biggest HIV AIDS AIDS- demographic 24 15 Leslie Conder Community Reporter 25 years ago the US U.S. Centers of Disease Control CD C published a report of the deaths of five gay men that died from a rare form fonn of pneumonia and skin can can- Shortly after the nation nation nation na na- tion was in panic from the then penn then penned name ed-name gay disease The world has not been the same since The homosexual community community community listened when in 1983 blood transfusions and sexual sexual sexual sex sex- ual contact were marked as the disease transmitters Now in 2006 HIV is more commonly being distributed distributed distributed through heterosexual intercourse Worldwide the most common age group infected with HIV is 15 to 24 years old said Tricia Bishop Health and Well- Well J 4 T k h y yr r r n Stock Photo ness Program Coordinator The l h sexual lack of ck-of sexual education education tion is a huge factor in the age range being so young When I was in school we didn't even discuss AIDS I had to wait until ll i to find o out t b t HIV on an informative level said Brandon Christensen Christensen Christensen Chris- Chris a Westminster College College College Col Col- lege alum Sex amongst A younger y unger pe peoples people pl I is i going Mo to happen whether hether they they- are educated or not it just HIV Continued on Page 2 HIV affects younger generations Continued from Page 1 makes sense to give them all the facts and stop being so scared that the facts will make them unsafe With AIDS s stories ories not headlining the news the anxiety of actually being the recipient of the disease has gone down 11 II years ago Americans considered HIV AIDS as the nations nation's most critical health lem Today that number has dwindled to a scarce 17 per per- cent People are practicing safe sex Many people still believe believe believe be be- lieve that they arc are resistant and that they would never contract this horrible dis dis- ease Many people may not practice safe sex because they are convinced they are invincible said Bishop Also people are not al always always always al- al ways educated on how to practice safe sex or have available protection Bishop believes that communication communication communication com com- or the lack thereof there thereof thereof of also is a cause in the spread of the deadly dis dis- ease My philosophy is if you cant can't have a conversation conversation conversation conversa conversa- tion with your partner about having sex or doing drugs you probably shouldn't be behaving behaving behaving having sex or doing drugs said Bishop Some statistics about this threatening disease arc are in 1 Americans are infected with HIV AIDS in l I college students are infected with HIV HIV Approximately Approximately Approximately people are infected with HIV everyday Almost 38 million people are infected with HIV and AIDS 5 People die from an AIDS related infection every every every ev ev- ery minute The Health and Wellness center have several several several sev sev- eral resources for students There are free condoms available in every Health and Wellness office They also offer sexually transmitted transmitted transmitted trans trans- infection screenings which include HIV testing and testing for other infections infections infections for those students who have HIV or AIDS We Ve also offer counseling and massages for students experiencing stress anxiety or depression about their HIV status Bishop said Bishop and her coworker work co er cr Preston Lindhardt also host awareness events in November December and February They speak about HIV awareness and Healthy Sexual Relationships Along with the events they also do classroom presentations There are many with up to date information on HIV HIV AIDS Students can call the Health and Wellness center at 95 with any questions or concerns they might have There is still no known cure for HIV |