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.