{"id":1217,"date":"2012-09-13T18:41:27","date_gmt":"2012-09-13T18:41:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/jsuflash\/?p=1217"},"modified":"2012-09-13T18:41:27","modified_gmt":"2012-09-13T18:41:27","slug":"project-s-a-f-e-says-know-your-status","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/theflash\/index.php\/2012\/09\/13\/project-s-a-f-e-says-know-your-status\/","title":{"rendered":"Project S.A.F.E. says know your status"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Graphic<\/a>Candace Chambers<\/strong>
\nBlue & White Flash \/ Staff Writer<\/strong><\/p>\n

What do retired National Basketball Association player Ervin \u201cMagic\u201d Johnson, Diving Olympic Gold Medalist Greg Louganis, and Illinois House of Representative Greg Harris have in common? They all have HIV or AIDS and are powerful activists in the cause to promote awareness.<\/p>\n

HIV is an acronym for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. AIDS, which is derived from HIV, stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. HIV is the virus that destroys the human immune system and other bodily functions and AIDS is the condition obtained from HIV.<\/p>\n

To aid in the increase of HIV\/AIDS awareness, Jackson State University\u2019s community health program, Project S.A.F.E., which is an acronym for Sensible Action For Empowerment, provides free, confidential rapid HIV testing.<\/p>\n

S.A.F.E., which has been active on campus since 2006, has tested over 3,100 individuals, including students, faculty, staff and community members. The primary testing center is located on the first floor of the Dollye M. E. Robinson Liberal Arts Building with and an alternate location located at the Jackson Medical Mall. Mobile testing is also available for various venues on and off campus.<\/p>\n

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1 million persons in the United States are living with the HIV infection; of those, one in five do not know they are infected.<\/p>\n

In a 2011 report released by the\u00a0 Mississippi State Department of Health, 9,907 persons in Mississippi were living with HIV.<\/p>\n

The leading risky behaviors which can lead to the contraction of the virus are having unprotected sex and using unsterilized needles for drug use.\u00a0 The CDC also reports that the number of people living with the HIV infection in the United States is higher than ever before but while some may find that disturbing, the word \u201cliving\u201d instead of \u201cdying\u201d is hope for the cause against the spread of HIV\/AIDS.<\/p>\n

The rapid HIV test which administered at the S.A.F.E. testing locations analyzes the antibodies of HIV and takes 10-20 minutes. Testing positive for the presence of the antibodies does not constitute the virus. The positive testing client is instructed to get a confirmatory test at the Health Department.<\/p>\n

Testing negative means there was not a detection of HIV antibodies in the system. Clients may also be in the window period, testing negative, but the antibodies may be there, but not at detectable amounts. Upon completion of the test, individuals can receive a free incentive, such as a t-shirt, drawstring bag, or water bottle.<\/p>\n

Every Monday-Thursday, dedicated staff members are eagerly waiting to greet clients as they come through the door from the hours of 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m.<\/p>\n

Kevin Patterson, HIV specialist with Project S.A.F.E., feels that it is essential for everyone to get tested.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s free. Students need to know their status,\u201d said Patterson.<\/p>\n

For more direct involvement with the student body, Project S.A.F.E. has peer educators, which aid in the spreading of the cause among their peers. Forums, booth set-ups, events on the Gibbs-Green Pedestrian Walkway, and the Annual World Aids Day celebration\u00a0 are some of the events hosted by Project S.A.F.E. in collaboration with the JSU Health Center.<\/p>\n

Some students believe that Project S.A.F.E. is a needed service on campus for the safety of everyone.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt this age students begin to be sexually active. They need to know the risks that are out there,\u201d said Nubia Johnson, a sophomore English major from Jackson, Miss.<\/p>\n

Shanel Jones, a sophomore English major from Magnolia, Miss.\u00a0 agrees.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s good for people who are sexually active so they can be aware and won\u2019t have to go to another clinic and pay,\u201d said Jones.<\/p>\n

Roland Swanson, a junior, political science major from St. Louis, Mo., said, \u201cIt\u2019s a good service because students can maintain their status. It\u2019s convenient so students have no excuse not to know their status.\u201d<\/p>\n

Project S.A.F.E. members encourage individuals who are sexually active, even if using protection, to get tested at least once a year. Condoms only reduce the risk, but do not eliminate the risk of contracting HIV so know your status and encourage others to also get tested.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Candace Chambers Blue & White Flash \/ Staff Writer What do retired National Basketball Association player Ervin \u201cMagic\u201d Johnson, Diving Olympic Gold Medalist Greg Louganis, and Illinois House of Representative Greg Harris have in common? They all have HIV or AIDS and are powerful activists in the cause to promote awareness. HIV is an acronym […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1217","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-campus-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/theflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1217","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/theflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/theflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/theflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/theflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1217"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/theflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1217\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/theflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1217"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/theflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1217"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/theflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1217"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}