Each year, University Health Services sees one to two students newly infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, according to Craig Roberts, manager of UW-Madison's Blue Bus STD clinic.
In recognition of today's World AIDS day, various UW-Madison organizations are looking to raise awareness about the deadly virus.
Despite popular belief that AIDS is significantly on the rise in college-aged students, \The number of college students with AIDS has stayed pretty constant for the past ten years,"" Roberts said.
Still, he said it is hard to get exact numbers of students with the virus because there are such a wide variety of places to get tested other than UHS.
There are many reasons to be concerned about UW-Madison students and the spread of HIV.
A recent survey by the National College Health Assessment Organization found around 1.4 percent of students use condoms during oral sex, slightly more than 15 percent always use a condom during vaginal intercourse and less than 3 percent of students consistently use a condom during anal intercourse, said Eric Trekell, Director of the UW-Madison Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Campus Center.
""This suggests a great deal of apathy on the part of college students because they, more than any other group, should be educated on the issue of safe sex,"" he said.
Furthermore, a big concern with college students and AIDS/HIV is the idea that sex often correlates with alcohol use.
""When alcohol and sex go together, even well-educated or informed judgment can be impaired and students don't always change their sexual behavior when using alcohol or drugs, even though they may when they're sober,"" Trekell said.??
Trekell also noted that around one-third of students tested for AIDS/HIV do not go back and get their results. This poses a challenge for those not infected because they may be dating or having sex with people who are infected and may not be aware of the situation.
Once students have tested HIV positive, there are many challenges they must face.
""Once they find out they are infected, how do they deal with it, what are they going to tell their parents ... there is still such a stigma attached to it especially with young men, there is the idea that they are gay, when they may not be,"" Trekell said.??
Students are already stressed and have a lot going on without having to deal with an infection that takes a lot of attention and requires daily medicine, Roberts added.??
UHS offers a wide variety of services to students who have AIDS or HIV to assist the student mentally, physically and socially.?? UHS works to offer primary care and sets the patient up with an infectious disease doctor at a local hospital.
It is important to try to get help, especially for college students who do not have the best health insurance, but have very individual and different health needs, said Lori Berquam, Associate Dean of Students at UW-Madison.
""When someone has HIV, we have a multi-disciplinary, cross-disciplinary approach so the person sees a doctor, a case worker, social worker, psychologist, etc., it's not just through the HIV clinic at the hospital,"" Roberts noted.
During the week of World AIDS Day, the UW-Madison organization Sex Out Loud works with other student organizations such as the Student Global AIDS Campaign, Students for Camp Heartland and the LGBT Campus Center.
""We try to get the message out there that AIDS is a problem that everyone on campus should be aware of,"" said Amy Martin, UW-Madison senior and event coordinator for Sex Out Loud.
??Tomorrow, UW-Madison alumnus Ben Banks will speak about living with HIV, which he has had since the age of two. The talk will take place at 7 p.m. at Memorial Union.
