Officials work to better teach this generation about HIV/AIDS

It took public health officials decades to educate the world on the dangers of HIV. Now, officials are largely starting from scratch with one group in particular — college students.

June marked the 30th anniversary of the first diagnosed case of HIV and across the campus today, University Health Center officials and peer educators will provide free condoms, HIV/AIDS testing and information to anyone who wants it for the 23rd annual World AIDS Day. Educating people on HIV has always been a challenge, but among this generation of college students in particular, officials said there is a sense of apathy that has never been this prevalent.

"I think unfortunately some people have become less aware or numb to the issue because people feel like they are going to live forever," said Nicholas Sakurai, the LGBT equity center's associate director. "It's sort of just like, ‘Oh there's medicines now,' so people don't worry about it as much."

Public health officials say this lost sense of urgency largely stems from a simple fact — in June, two-thirds of Americans named HIV the most pressing health problem facing the nation in 1987. That number now stands at just 7 percent.

Given this campus' close proximity to Washington — which features the highest HIV incidence rates in the nation, rivaling some countries in Western Africa — Sexual Health and Reproductive Education peer educators said it is even more vital for students at this university to get tested, but stigma often gets in the way.

"Lots of teens are naïve. If we have strep throat, then we go see the doctor," SHARE peer educator Emily Makhlouf, a junior civil engineering major said. "If we have strep of the penis or vagina though, there's such a stigma that people don't go see the doctor. We are trying to break down the barriers with people thinking they are dirty because they have a [sexually transmitted infection] — you are not dirty, it's what we have doctors and medicines for."

This year, health center officials said they are making a concerted effort to increase the number of free HIV/AIDS testing days — there have been six so far this semester, whereas in past years the university only hosted one per year.

"[Prince George's] County has extremely high HIV rates compared to the state and the country. We are trying to raise awareness," SHARE Coordinator Jenna Beckwith said. "A lot of students here have seen the importance of HIV/AIDS because of the community. They see the ads, and there is some sense of awareness, but college students can have a superhuman mentality."

Yesterday, peer educators handed out a variety of free condoms and information outside Stamp Student Union. Today, the university will offer free HIV testing in Stamp, the health center and Nyumburu Cultural Center. Despite these available services, many students said they do not feel an urgent need to get tested.

"I don't think it's as much of a widespread issue as it once was," freshman architecture major Bridget Maley said. "I don't hear people worrying about it at all, and that leads me to believe it's not as big a deal."

Although the stigma surrounding HIV has evolved over the last 30 years, university officials said a stigma still existing in any capacity is the reason peer educators must continue outreach.

"People are almost more willing to talk about being queer, bisexual or transgender than talk about being HIV positive," Sakurai said. "Part of that, and part of the issue with awareness too, is that people are less apt to talk about their own experiences. … I think that people don't speak up more sometimes because there's still a sense of stigma, and that's something we need to transform. And we need to continue to do educational work to transform it."

romas@umdbk.com