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Friday, May 31, 1996

Confidential, local HIV/AIDS testing availableBy Karen Duryea

Daily Bruin Staff

The numbers are rising.

According to 1994 Center for Disease Control statistics, the number of people diagnosed as HIV positive is climbing. Growing at a rate of three to five percent per year, HIV/AIDS has become the leading cause of death among young adults aged 25 to 44.

When the statistics hit home, people's first reaction is often to question their own susceptibility ­ and from there, wonder where to get tested. Yet with fear, anxiety and issues of privacy standing in the way of taking that first step, some may be discouraged from making it that far.

"It is my understanding that there are only a couple of people who do anonymous HIV testing at Student Health ­ (so) hire another one, and another one ... Do something, anything because that caller may never decide to call again," wrote fifth-year sociology student Stephani Crespin in a previous Viewpoint letter.

Student suggestions helped make a difference in Student Health's practices, said Al Setton, executive director of UCLA Student Health Services. Setton explained that services for HIV/AIDS testing have been adjusted according to student concern over the lack of anonymity.

But confidential testing, which is available during any normal visit with a physician, has always been available.

"We have tried to provide that service, not to duplicate what is available in the community," Setton said. "We recognize the need to set up within our clinic a special process for anonymous testing. Our space availability has not always matched the demand, so we made arrangements to adjust the staff to accommodate the need. We take all student comments seriously, and when we found it was a need we weren't meeting, we made adjustments."

But with a dearth of state money and more funds directed at prisons than education, repercussions are felt in the amount of services provided for University of California students. Experts commented that convenient HIV/AIDS testing has been sacrificed for all communities in California, not just UCLA students.

"(Students) aren't the only population that feels that way," said Terry, an AIDS health educator who works at the Southern California AIDS Hotline. California has become one of the largest epicenters of HIV positive citizens, second only to New York, he said.

"The issue sucks ... We don't have enough money to give HIV tests, and so it won't be as easy as going to (an on-campus site)," Terry said, explaining that there are alternatives to testing on campus.

"Alternative Test Sites are set up specifically to keep your name out of the system. Through your (non-university) doctor, any insurance company can seize those records," Terry said.

Explaining that the problem lies not in the lack or quality of testing sites, Terry said it is even more difficult to encourage the approximately one million California citizens who are HIV positive to walk through the doors of a clinic or call for an appointment.

"I think society has done everything it can to make the process easy and comfortable ... The centers are clean, the labs are top of the line. Everything from the delivery end is fine, but how do we convince people it is to their benefit to get tested and breach the psychological barriers?" Terry asked.

Experts who work with HIV/AIDS patients realized the need for everyone who has been sexually active to get tested, yet outside factors may scare patients into not getting tested at all.

"I think the biggest barriers are fear and ignorance." said Sarah Rosenberg, activities coordinator at the HIV Day Program. "I think it's mostly fear, but if someone is well informed and receives both pre- and post-testing counseling, the person should feel comfortable getting the test. It's scary no matter what, but it is necessary."

Yet experts still believed that with all the obstacles to overcome before getting tested ­ including the waiting for both an appointment and the results ­ some students still fall through the cracks.

"I think that there is a large discrepancy between sexually active college students and students who actually get tested," Rosenberg said. "To get a test right way it is expensive; if you want one for free, you have to wait."

Rosenberg explained that although the HIV Day Program deals with all HIV positive patients, the program provides a list of places in the community that conduct free test days.

For now, UCLA has made all the necessary steps it can to provide HIV/AIDS testing for its students, Setton said.

"When you have a service available and people get to know about it and want to use it, you find there is a mismatch of service to requests. We made adjustments, and we encourage students to get tested and talk to their clinician about testing," Setton said, expressing that Student Health will continue to increase its staff if needed.