Date: Fri 06-Nov-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: MICHEL

Quick Words:

AIDS-NHS-NYCAAP-

Full Text:

AIDS Rumor Provides An Opportunity For Education At The High School

BY MICHELE HOGAN

Are local high school students at risk of contracting AIDS? Last Thursday, a

panel of local experts informed 70 parents, students and members of the

community of the actual risks among the student population, and responses that

might address those risks. The forum was called "The Myths and Realities of

AIDS."

The problem, according to Judy Blanchard, district health coordinator, is to

match the level of concern a person has about AIDS with their level of

personal risk of contracting the disease.

Bill Manfredonia, Newtown High School principal asked, "Are there cases of HIV

and AIDS at the school? There are no known cases... [But] we are fooling

ourselves if we say it's not around us."

Mr Manfredonia said, "There are 50 or 60 rumors every two hours [at the

school] but one rumor didn't come and go."

The rumor, that a "friend" of a Newtown High School student was HIV positive,

has placed fear in the student body. Mr Manfredonia mentioned how one student

tried to chart the possible path of HIV between students. He said that another

student told him that they would have to clean all the phones in the school.

Mr Manfredonia said, "This may sound funny, but you realize all the

misinformation that is out there."

Mr Manfredonia sees the rumors as an opportunity to educate students about the

real risks of AIDS transmission. He said that the rumors were "probably one of

the best things that could have happened -- a wake up call."

He said, "This isn't a disease where a doctor will say `take two pills and it

will go away.'"

Dr Robert Hindes, specialist in infectious diseases, described how AIDS, once

thought of as a disease that affected only certain populations, is now moving

aggressively into middle and upper class populations.

Karina Danvers, senior outreach worker of the Yale School of Nursing who is

HIV positive herself, explained risks, and talked candidly about how AIDS

affected her life.

Now age 33, she was infected when she was 19 through unprotected sex with her

husband. Her husband died in 1989. She said, "To stay alive, I eat about 50

pills a day. It's very hard on your body, your soul, your heart."

In her work with the Yale AIDS program, she sees many women who "turn tricks."

She said their clients are often high school males.

Considering how her life might have been different, had she known then what

she knows now, she said, "I plead with you. Get out of your skin a bit, and

talk to your kids."

She described how when she was young, the only thing to worry about was

getting pregnant -- now you can lose your life.

One student from the group called "Newtown Youth Creating AIDS Awareness in

Peers" (NYCAAP) spoke soon afterwards. She said, "A lot of times parents don't

want to talk about it. They don't think their kids could be at risk."

Another student broached the question of finding the right time to discuss it.

She said you don't just walk up and say, "Hey, you want to talk about AIDS?"

When you do sit down to talk, one student said "Don't preach...You don't want

them thinking you are accusing them."

Students will also have learned about AIDS at school, primarily through the

health curriculum in grades 3,5,7,8,9, and 12, through pamphlets and through

any questions that students ask their teachers about the subject.

Judy Blanchard described the "abstinence based curriculum" as promoting

abstinence among students, yet simultaneously providing information on

protection against the disease.

Under-reported Stats

Dr Hindes discussed transmission and practical issues with AIDS and HIV.

He said that AIDS is "grossly under-reported in stats." He explained that

although a diagnosis of AIDS must be reported by health care practitioners,

there is no reporting system for people who are HIV positive at this time. He

said that the number of HIV infected individuals is far greater than those

diagnosed with AIDS.

HIV positive people can transmit the disease just as readily as AIDS patients,

but they are not found listed in statewide statistics.

He therefore strongly recommends universal precautions, to treat everybody as

if they were HIV positive.

He said that sexual contact is the highest risk in the high school community.

Although the virus can exist in tears, saliva or sweat, he said that it is an

extremely fragile virus, and that there has been no known transmission of the

disease through these fluids.

He said, "You are not going to get it from hugging an athlete with AIDS, even

if he is covered with sweat," and you are both topless. He said, "There is no

known transmission from kissing."

And, he said, "If your face was splashed with [HIV positive] blood or urine

the risk of transmission is extraordinarily low for this kind of accidental

contact."

Unprotected sex, shared IV needles or deep lacerations remain the high risk

areas for contracting the disease among youth.

He described how after a high-risk exposure, people can be immediately put on

an aggressive treatment of three drug regiments for six weeks, which has

proven successful in preventing transmission.

He said HIV testing is done routinely now, and recommended that anyone who is

worried that they might have contracted the disease at any time should get

tested. He said, "Go to your physician. They'll give you results in a few

days." Or, he suggested going to the Department of Public Health and have an

anonymous AIDS test done. He said that the medical community "goes to great

lengths to protect privacy of individuals."

The panel discussion and the question-and-answer period that followed will be

aired on channel 17 at a later date.