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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1994)
AIDS resources in Eugene limited Tritta Noel Ontffryn Oa*y tenmakt Resource* are limited for people In the Eugene area who have AIDS or are HIV pos itive But I .aurie Stephens, the case manager at theTIIV/AIDS Alliance, son) education and prevention are the (ommunity 's greatest needs righ' now. "We need to get the word out to people." Stephens said, "because (AIDS) is a pre ventable disease in many wavs " Stephens believe* everyone would benefit from more education, including the alliance's clients and the community The alliance does a good job providing for its clients It offers many types of support for people with AIDS or HIV There are support groups geared toward women and toward people who are HIV positive There is a sup port group for friends, family and loved ones. Another group focuses on children who have a parent or family member who is HIV positive or who has AIDS Other services the HIV/AIDS Alliance pro i Ides include professional referrals, proven ■ lion services, and outreach programs for voting people and high-risk groups The alliance operates on some federal funding, with Ryan White funds, and grants Federal money is limited, so the group depends on its volunteers. Currently, there are about 100 volunteers who work either with the alliance or with the Acorn House, which is a hospice i enter the alliance oper ates. "The best thing people can do is donate either ihi'tr money or their time for educa lion ami prevention." Stephen* said The Ai orn House a five-bed in-patient hospice facility, is another resource that the HIV AIDS Alliance offers Patients are admitted on the basis of medical c ritorin "The sickest [jatients net the first chance at i an>." said Valerie Haynes, the nurse man ager and program director at the Acorn House • Haynes said the biggest problem for peo pie who are HIV positive is homelessness "They have HIV and they art* fairly healthy," she said "They are sic k enough to not be able to keep a job. but aren't st< k enough to qualify as being disabled." Another factor that makes homelessness more of a problem is the lat k of low ini ome housing in Eugene. Most disability checks are issued for $400 a month, but to lie able to fiay rent and live off the remaining money is diff'u ult. "It doesn't leave HIV positive people in a good position. Haynes said ITten* are a lot of people living in the streets for lac k of places to live " People who are open about their condition have an especially hard time finding hous ing because many people are afraid to live with people who are HIV positive Shared housing is the most feasible way to live on a small budget MPovverment is an organization that focuses on prevention The organization offers support for gay and bisexual men Its offic e provides brochures and condoms to // The be\t thing people tan tin is donate either their money or their time for education tout prevention We need to v'et the s*oni out to people, because (AIDS) is a preventable disease people who visit, and drop-in counseling is available MPowerment would 11k«r to see more reeources offered in the i ommunlly Merit Kumiss, the treasurer ol Mi’owermimt. said support groups for people who are HIV po». Hive are very important Hut llarntss would also like to sec n i mis hot line established in Kugtme The White Hird ( linn \ main service is to provide HIV testing It also makes referrals and has an ongoing < ounselmg department |oe Shoemaker, the medical clinic coordi nator at White Bird, said the community's resources are good and may be providing enough for people with AIDS or HIV now Shoemaker also said the resourt its won't lie enough in the future "The resown es available in the commu nity are very good." Shoemaker said “But if they re not overtaxed now. they will lie " - LAURIE STEPHENS asa 'iiarmge* at the H!V AIDS Auukkv AIDS may affect 1 in every 800 women Tasha Eicbenseher Oregon Oatly £nn>rakl II is estimated that one in every 800 women is in fee ted with the human immunodeficiency virus, the disease that causes AIDS If this estimate is correct, approximately 10 women students at the Uni versity would test HIV positive. When the deadly virus AIDS was first recognized, it was associat ed with gay men and drug users because it was among those popu lations that the largest number of cases were first reported. Hut the fact is, AIDS also affects heterosexuals at a frightening rate, and AIDS experts estimate that of the 10 million people infected with HIV in the world, about one in three is a woman. "When all exposure categories are combined larger proportionate increases in reported cases occurred among women than among men," said an operator at the National AIDS Hotline. Women who may not have boon concerned about contracting the virus before should be aware that HIV is nondiscriminatory “As the nation's first female surgeon general. I'd like to speak to women in this country about a health problem that makes me fear for all of us the alarming spread of AIDS among sexually active women," former surgeon general Antonia Novollo wrote in a recent newspaper article. In the United States, six percent of all AIDS cases have resulted from heterosexual sex and this is the fastest-growing segment of the AIDS population, especially among women, according to the 1<M13 edition of the ''Women's Desk Reference." What has become very clear is that women are more likely to become infected by men than vice versa," according to the book AIDS is the fourth leading cause of death among women ages 25 to 40, according to the World Health Organization Hispanic and Black women account for almost 70 pert ent of adult women with AIDS and more than 30 percent of these women become inlet ted through heterosexual contacts, according to information DID YOU KNOW? ■ AIDS as the fourth leading cause of death among women ■ Over ISmiSon women woddwgfe wii be mfoc ted with the HIV virus by the year 2000 ■ Women have a greater chance than men ot contracting HtV during sexual mMrcourw. i Mt KAiD from HIV/AIDS Resources, Int I’dwinn Welch, director of the Women'* Outer, said she believe* women of color account for the majority of cases of women with AIDS not because of their race but I** a use of their economic class Women most commonly become infected by sharing contaminat ed IV drug needles or by having unprotected *e* with an infec ted partner. Once infected, women c an transmit the virus to others, including their unborn children If a women has HIV and becomes pregnant, there is a 30 to 50 |ver cent chance that her baby will be infected during pregnancy or deliv ery. according to literature from the American College Health Asso ciation Welc h said she believes women are aware of the t fiances of con tracting the HIV virus “I think it's part of our psyc he," she said "It is part of how you conduct yourself.” Welch said the Women’s Center has given technical assistance to the World’s AIDS Day organization this year and hopes to tec more involved next year, "|A1DS| is one of those things that has stopped (wing talked about, hut that can t happen,” Welch said Campus events commemorate World AIDS Day Robbie Reeves Oegpr Dairy f motina Activities will taint place throughout the day on campus to commemorate World AIDS Day. The 1994 theme for World AIDS Day is "AIDS and Families," according to Danielle McConaga, a peer health educator with the Student Health Center A "Giving Tree" will he displayed in the KMU lobby as part of World AIDS Day. The tree was placed in the KMU to demonstrate how AIDS and HIV' can affect the lives of students and their families, she said. Students who donate at least $1 will receive a ribbon and decorations with their names on them will be placed on a tree in the KMU. McConaga said. Students can also i mate a dot oration and deliver it to the Stu dent Health Center and it will be added to the tree, she said Donations will be con tributed to the HIV Alliance. Ked ribbons and shirts will be sold in the KMU today. Free condoms will he distrib uted, ami information on mobilizing against AIDS and on community resources will be given Refreshments will he served Tables will bo staffed from 10 am to 5 p.m. People who are HIV positive will discuss their experiences in a panel discussion at 5 p.m. in the Ben Kinder Room in the KMU. According to McConnga, several HIV posi tive people in the community will help to facilitate a discussion about living with HIV. Thu Giving Tin®, information tables in thu EMU and the HIV positive panel discussion are being sponsored by the Student Health Center. A raffle will take place during the panel discussion, according to Karen Seybold from the Student AIDS Awareness group, a group dedicated to "educating ourselves and oth ers" about HIV and AIDS Prizes will include gift certificates from local book stores. A two mile "Fun Run" around campus will tie held at .1 4f> p in. in the EMU Court yard. A $5 entry fee will he charged, and students will receive a t-shirt and food after the run. Students are invited to “run, roll, walk or hike" through the route, she said. Thu/Kriiiv Greeks offer presentations on AIDS, HIV Tiffany Smith t Vfgart f frmt&J Tht> sad truth is that must people won't (hangti their sexual lwhin tor until thin havn I hi tin directly affer ted In AIDS and HIV. ai l oriiing to students from various sororities and fra temities at the University Summer Hut hinnd. a member of the Kappa Delta sorority, vuil. A lot of [hh> pie won't realize (the sever it\i of the threat of AIDS) until something happens to them dirwrily," Her sorority has taken a prise tne educational stand against the spread of AIDS and HIV .. "Amber i loppa t ame and spoke to our chapter Inst spring.” Ilia Maud said "She told her story about her sister who hail AIDS '' She said Hopps' presen tation was very moving and helped firing AIDS into conversations kappa Delta invited her tank this fall to sjM-ak to pledges According to Kro John ston. a member of Sigma Phi I psilon fraternity, talk ing about AIDS and con dom use needs to lie tim ournged "I think it s still shunned and put on the hm k burn er," he said. "Anything that’s going to make (ample more comfortable talking about it has a positive offer t '' Johnston also mentioned Hopps' presentation and said it had such a positive impact on his house that Hopps is speaking to other i hnpters throughout the year I lowovur. these programs (ind speakers havo a long way to go. since students *it»11 need to translate that knowledge Into a behav ioral i hauge, according to Kristin Olmos, an HIV counselor at tho Studont Health Center. "Pnoplii m knowledge they are at risk," Olmos said ' Hut just Ins auso you have tho f.ii ts doesn't moan a behavioral change. Take what you know and trans late that into your own life." Olmos sees an average of 18 to 20 students a week for pre- and post HIV' test counseling Hm hland said more people are talking about being tested fur IIIV. "I don't know how many people have actual ly been tested," she said "I think people are really scared to talk about it (having been tested) because they are afraid of what people will think " The Student Health Center provides anony mous testing with coun seling Indore and after the test. "I haven't had a positive (HIV test result) yet.” Olmos said.
