Taylor Bembery
Associate Editor
Red, the official color of AIDS awareness, flooded the foyer of the first floor of the College of Liberal Arts on Dec. 1.
The World AIDS Day event was hosted by The Interdisciplinary Alcohol and Drug Studies Center at Jackson State University. The state of Mississippi ranks high in HIV/AIDS reported cases. To spread more awareness about this epidemic, many agencies such as Planned Parenthood Southeast, My Brothers Keeper, and AIDS Healthcare Foundation, gave informational literature, free gifts, and contraceptives to students.
According to the Mississippi Department of Health, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) develops into AIDS. Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), is a serious illness that harms the body’s ability to fight infection.
HIV can be spread through sexual intercourse with a person with HIV (this includes vaginal, anal, and oral intercourse) and by sharing needles or syringes with a person infected with HIV. In the past, some people were infected with HIV through blood transfusions or blood products. Today, that is very unlikely because all donors are carefully screened and all donors’ blood are tested before being used.
Ashley Robinson, a junior English education major from Jackson, Miss., was one of many students that attended this event. She said HIV/AIDS awareness is crucial especially on a college campus.
“There are people from all different ethnic backgrounds and states throughout America on college campuses. I think everyone should be sure of their status especially if they are engaging with one another, which young adults in college do. We also have a lot of people from south and west Jackson which is one of the targeted regions for most HIV and AIDS. We should take it upon ourselves to stop, get tested, to help stop the spreading of AIDS and HIV,” said Robinson.
According to the 2011 CDC HIV Surveillance Report, Mississippi has the 7th highest rate of infection among adults and adolescents. There is also a 62.1 percent rate of diagnoses of HIV infection among young adults age 20 to 24 year olds. There is currently no cure for the HIV/AIDS. The practice of prevention, counseling, and awareness is the only way the epidemic is being combated.
According to AIDS Healthcare Foundation, HIV/AIDS medication can be as expensive as $1000 a day. Because the cost of these medications are so high, many infected with the disease cannot afford treatment.
The Interdisciplinary Alcohol and Drug Studies Center (IADSC) along with Project S.A.F.E at JSU have had several HIV/AIDS panel discussion prevention series throughout the fall 2014 semester. Those series and programs were implemented to bring awareness and get students comfortable with the conversation of HIV/AIDS.
Kandace Leflore, a IADSC Prevention Specialist at JSU, said it is so important for students to take advantage of the resources at their university.
“AIDS is definitely affecting the community and the youth and the more that they are aware and educated, they can prevent this disease,” said Leflore
All HIV/AIDS education, prevention tools, and testing at JSU are free for students. If you would like more information please contact The Interdisciplinary Alcohol and Drug Studies Center at 601-979-2353.
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