Daisy-Petal-Picking Loses Ground to HIV Testing

You might have seen the signs at the Student Union Building earlier this week: “Free HIV testing.” Really? Who would do that?

Two Hub@TTU reporters did so we could tell you what to expect. Breann Robinson and I attended the HIV/AIDS awareness event on Wednesday held by the Cross-Cultural Academic Advancement Center and StarCare. We were tested for HIV, and our results came back negative.

Gifts given out at the awareness event. Maddy McCarty/The Hub@TTU

Gifts given out at the awareness event. Maddy McCarty/The Hub@TTU

The testing was confidential, which meant you had to provide your name, but it would not be shared with anyone. Although the door to the Red Raider Ballroom in the Student Union Building was propped open so anyone could peek inside, the testing took place behind two screens.

The testers were required to determine whether we were “at risk” of HIV. In their definition, this means having had unprotected sex or having injected drugs using needles.

Even though HIV is fairly rare, about 50,000 new cases are registered in the U.S. each year.According to AIDS.gov, more than 1.2 million people in the U.S. are living with HIV, and almost 13 percent are unaware of their infection. Men who have had sex with another man and African-Americans of either gender are currently the two largest demographic groups affected by HIV.

A table at the awareness event. Breann Robinson/The Hub@TTU

A table at the awareness event. Breann Robinson/The Hub@TTU

No matter how careful you have been, getting tested is pretty nerve-wracking. The results are provided within seconds after a few simple steps. First, your finger is pricked, which is basically painless. When enough blood is gathered to fill a small tube, it is mixed with a chemical and poured into a small dish. Two more chemicals are added. The tester explained that if one dot appears in the end, the test is negative. If two dots appear, the test is positive.

I asked my tester whether he had ever seen a positive result at a university in Texas. He said “Oh yeah” and mentioned that it happens pretty often. He said he had seen syphilis outbreaks as well.

Although the subject matter was serious, the environment was pretty fun. The tables were covered in “goodies,” including condoms, dental dams, pens, tubes of lubricant and more things free for the taking. There was also a refreshments table with cookies, juice and more.

A sign outside offered facts about HIV/AIDS. To prevent getting HIV from vaginal or anal sex, the main recommendations are using condoms correctly, getting tested and limiting your number of partners. To prevent contracting it from drug use, the recommendations are to use only sterile needles without sharing.

For anyone wanting peace of mind, testing is provided Monday through Friday at the STD/HIV Clinic.

About Maddy McCarty

Maddy is the Graduate Executive Director for The Hub@TTU. She loves reading, writing and petting her cats. She has a bachelor's degree in journalism, is pursuing her master's in mass communications and wants to continue reporting on important issues.