On Tuesday, April 21, from 10am-1pm, Penn Valley's Campus Life and Leadership office held an event that offered free Aids testing and Aids education to all students. Workers from the Kansas City Health Department were present to perform oral HIV tests, which consisted of a specially treated cotton fiber pad placed between the lower cheek and gum for 2-5 minutes. The pad is then sent to a lab for testing.

The idea behind the event was well thought out, but the event itself was understaffed, creating a waiting period of an hour-and-a-half for some students to get tested. Only one room was open for two of the four hours that the event was held. By the time someone else could make it from the Health Department to the campus to help out, it was noon.

A low turnout had obviously been expected, which may have been the cause for only two people helping with most of the event (one to check people in as they came for testing, and one to perform the test). For an event of this importance, a backup plan should have been constructed. Many students waited as long as possible but had to get to class, and did not have a chance to get tested.

For those students who had time to wait, there were an array of pamphlets educating on signs and symptoms of STDs, how to protect against STDs, and information on where to get tested. Students could also help themselves to plenty of free "goodies" consisting of condoms, "get tested" arm bands, lubricant, condom carrying cases, etc.

The results for this test take approximately two weeks, and the clinic will be sending representatives to the Penn Valley campus during finals week. All students who participated in the HIV test will be able to get their results during that time.

Hopefully this will be the first of many of these types of events on the Penn Valley campus. It is a great way to educate students on potential health risks and give them proper resources for future questions or help.

The Kansas City Health Department wants students to know that free confidential testing is performed on a regular basis at their clinic, and takes no more than fifteen minutes to complete. To contact the Health Department, visit http://www.kcmo.org/health.nsf/web/home?opendocument.

For more information on HIV and AIDS go to:

http://www.avert.org/testing.htm
http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/hiv_antibody/faq.html
http://www.orasure.com/products/default.asp?sec=2&subx=2&cid=2&prd=133

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