HIV/AIDS Is Preventable
By Robert D Grupe Prevention Coordinator
So much emphasis is placed on drugs and alcohol in the prevention field that sometimes other problems are overlooked. People believe that if they can stop today's youth from using drugs and alcohol then everything will become perfect. This is not necessarily the case as there are always other concerns. One of these is the spread of sexually transmitted diseases especially HIV/AIDS.
There are many misconceptions about HIV and AIDS. The most common statement about AIDS is that only happens to drug users and homosexuals. While these behaviors certainly increase the risk of getting the HIV virus, they are not the only behaviors or groups that are at risk. The transmission of HIV/AIDS occurs in two main ways. These are sexual intercourse with an infected person or sharing drug needles or syringes with an infected person. By sexual intercourse it does not differentiate between heterosexual or homosexual behavior, anyone that is having unprotected sex is at risk. Think of this throwback from the 1980's, when you have sex with someone you are having sex with everyone they had sex with and so on...
Prevention of sexually transmitted diseases is very simple in theory. Abstinence is the only true way to be safe but using protection can significantly decrease the chances as well. Sex today has become very commonplace in societal norms. It appears on television and the appeal of sex is used to sell numerous products in today's marketplace. Today's youth no longer see a problem with having sex.
AIDS has appeared very consistently on the leading killer disease list for several years. And the scariest thing about AIDS is this: THERE IS NO CURE. As of the year 2000 in Effingham County, there are sixteen confirmed and diagnosed cases of AIDS reported by the Illinois Department of Public Health. These are just the ones that have been confirmed through testing.
HIV/AIDS can be prevented and should not be something that is ignored. World AIDS Day is December 1st and Heartland Human Services will be having an informational commemoration service to discuss this issue. Feel free to attend this event and get some information on HIV/AIDS. If not for yourself, do it for your children. If you would like more information on the event or on HIV/AIDS please contact Stacey Parr at (217) 347-7179.