2008 Woodie Awards
HIV/AIDS in Idaho
Stephanie Hall
Issue date: 12/3/08 Section: News
In observation of World AIDS Day, Dec. 1, students and community members gathered in the Rendezvous to create condom pins. The pins were made to be worn as reminders for people to practice safe sex and prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.
"It's a conversation starter. It really creates an opportunity for the wearer to encourage her friends to remember to use condoms," ISU student and HealthCorps Volunteer, Deanna Johnson, said in a recent press release.
The effort to spread awareness about HIV/AIDS seems especially important at this time, since there has been a recent spike of new cases of HIV/AIDS in Idaho.
According to the Idaho State Journal, "The Southeastern District Health Department has reported 19 positive HIV tests so far this year, compared with only eight cases reported for all of 2007.
The list of new positive cases includes 10 men and a woman, all of whom are 30 years old or younger."
Idaho Health and Welfare reports 1,044 people living with AIDS in Idaho, about .07 percent of the population of the state. Nationwide, the "number of deaths related to HIV/AIDs continues at about 18,000 per year. The total number of HIV/AIDS-related deaths in the United States is in excess of 550,000, and more than 400,000 individuals are currently living with AIDS," according to the text book "Understanding Pathophysiology."
HIV/AIDS is a particularly dangerous sexually transmitted disease because it is incurable and may go asymptomatic for long periods of time. "Those with the early stages of HIV disease usually present with relatively mild symptoms resembling influenza, such as night sweats, swollen lymph glands, diarrhea or fatigue. The early stage may last as long as 10 years," according to "Understanding Pathophysiology."
Therefore, it is extremely important that everybody who has had sex (heterosexual or homosexual) or has injected drugs be tested for HIV/AIDS to prevent spreading it to sexual partners. The Student Health Center at ISU offers HIV/AIDS testing.
"It's a conversation starter. It really creates an opportunity for the wearer to encourage her friends to remember to use condoms," ISU student and HealthCorps Volunteer, Deanna Johnson, said in a recent press release.
The effort to spread awareness about HIV/AIDS seems especially important at this time, since there has been a recent spike of new cases of HIV/AIDS in Idaho.
According to the Idaho State Journal, "The Southeastern District Health Department has reported 19 positive HIV tests so far this year, compared with only eight cases reported for all of 2007.
The list of new positive cases includes 10 men and a woman, all of whom are 30 years old or younger."
Idaho Health and Welfare reports 1,044 people living with AIDS in Idaho, about .07 percent of the population of the state. Nationwide, the "number of deaths related to HIV/AIDs continues at about 18,000 per year. The total number of HIV/AIDS-related deaths in the United States is in excess of 550,000, and more than 400,000 individuals are currently living with AIDS," according to the text book "Understanding Pathophysiology."
HIV/AIDS is a particularly dangerous sexually transmitted disease because it is incurable and may go asymptomatic for long periods of time. "Those with the early stages of HIV disease usually present with relatively mild symptoms resembling influenza, such as night sweats, swollen lymph glands, diarrhea or fatigue. The early stage may last as long as 10 years," according to "Understanding Pathophysiology."
Therefore, it is extremely important that everybody who has had sex (heterosexual or homosexual) or has injected drugs be tested for HIV/AIDS to prevent spreading it to sexual partners. The Student Health Center at ISU offers HIV/AIDS testing.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Cancer Cure
posted 12/30/08 @ 5:27 AM MST
When condoms are used correctly you do not get 100% protection from AIDS, but it is very close to 100%. Using a condom is a simple and easy thing to do to prevent such a terrible disease. (Continued…)
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posted 1/05/09 @ 6:40 PM MST
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