Kendra Brown
MC Contributor/Staff Writer
When most people think of Dec. 1, the official start of the holiday season is what usually comes to mind. However, because about 50,000 people get infected with HIV each year, Dec. 1 is also World AIDS Day, the day set aside to bring awareness to a disease that has taken the lives of many and affects the lives of many more.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the virus that causes HIV infection, and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. About 1.2 million people in the United States were living with HIV at the end of 2012, the most recent year this information was available. Of those people, about 12.8% do not know they are infected.
“I feel [knowing your status] it’s very important because a lot of college students are aware of the consequences of having unprotected sex but I think a lot of people choose to ignore it because they feel like they are invisible until it happens to them. It’s important to know your status so you won’t affect other people and be able to get treated if your test comes back positive. Early detection is the key,” said Dashawna Wright, a junior mass communication major from Chicago, Ill., who attended the event.
African-Americans accounted for the 76 percent of newly reported HIV disease infections. Mississippi had the 10th highest HIV diagnosis in the nation in 2012. Hinds, Forrest, Harrison, Rankin, and Coahoma counties reported the highest number of HIV infections.
Stephen Thomas, a senior computer engineering major from Mobile, Ala. said, “Having sex is like playing rush and roulette. You never know which time is the one that can change your life, so it’s important to make sure you keep a check on your health.”
The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH), reports that as of Dec. 31, 2009, there were 9,214 Mississippians living with HIV disease; 6,687 reported among African-Americans and 2,527 reported among all other races.
Because of these alarming statistics, many organizations both locally and nationally, are offering free HIV/AIDS testing and also flooding the community with information to help prevent new infections.
On Tuesday, The Mississippi Link newspaper hosted a World AIDS Day program and invited college students from Tougaloo College and Jackson State University to participate.
Dr. Laura Beauchamps, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and Open Arms Clinic, was the speaker at the event. She informed the attendees about PrEP. According to Dr. Beauchamps, Mississippi is leading the country in PrEP administration and participation.
Jackie Hampton, editor of the Mississippi Link, was one of the organizers of the event.
“The Mississippi Link has had the opportunity to be a part of awareness groups for HIV and AIDS. Five years ago, I helped sponsor an even in Orlando, Fla. in conjunction with Meherry Medical School where we had doctors from all over the country to come and speak to students who were flown in from Jackson State, Tougaloo, Alcorn, and Mississippi Valley to be a part of this so that they could take the information back to their campuses,” said Hampton.
She added, “I received such great information, and it’s been on my mind to have something similar in Jackson and I wanted to focus on college students since this disease is running rampant on college campuses. Through the Black Press Foundation, who had a little grant money that enabled us to have this event, we got together with Mississippi Faith Action and decided to have this breakfast to get the information out.”
Patricia Smith, a social worker at the G.A. Carmichael Family Health Center which provides primary care for people living with HIV and AIDS was one of the speakers at the event.
“My focus is on helping to insure that we help to meet people where they are once a person has been given a diagnosis of living with HIV. We help do everything we can to help insure that they will stay in care which takes nurturing and being genuine and providing them with what they need,” said Smith.
On the campus of JSU, the Health Services Center provided free rapid HIV testing from Nov. 30 – Dec. 5 from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 2 -4 p.m. Students can get a free test and have their results in 15 minutes.
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