According to Takilya T. Davis, health educator at the university’s Health Promotion Center, the UM Health Promotion Center started testing students for HIV for free around November of last year.
The free testing was offered by the Mississippi Department of Health. The department offered to provide kits; all the university needed to do was get the word out to the students. The Health Promotion Center has advertised the free testing through multiple forms of social media.
According to Davis, she says statistics show that there is a high risk for HIV and that the cases are rising for the 13 – 25 year olds. The CDC is working with the Mississippi Department of Health to try to get as many people in that age group tested as possible.
Davis also mentioned Ole Miss is not the only school in the state given this opportunity. Many other schools, including Southern Miss, are taking advantage of this offer as well.
Since the beginning of this semester, Davis said she has had about 50 or so students come to her to be tested for HIV.
Davis thinks the testing is a great idea, and results come in fast. She does not understand why students wouldn’t want to take advantage of it.
“It’s free. It would make sense to come because it doesn’t cost anything, and it only takes 20 minutes at the most,” Davis said.
According to Dr. Travis Wayne Yates, director of University Health Service at the student health center, the free testing is more of a grant given to the university by the Mississippi Department of Health. Previously, students would receive an STD testing in the health center clinic for a charge of $35. This testing included the HIV testing along with tests for other STDs.
Now, students can get a free test done by Davis in the Health Promotion Center upstairs of the Student Health Center for free on Thursdays.
According to the Mississippi State Department of Health, the state had the seventh highest rate for HIV infection in 2011. The department also recorded that Mississippi reported 547 cases of HIV in 2012.
Provisional Reportable Disease Statistics showed that in January of this year, public health district one, which includes Lafayette county and other surrounding districts, reported that nine people are infected with HIV. In February, there were five. The state total for Mississippi in January 2014 was a reported total of 36 people and a total of 50 in February 2014.
Jessie Malone, nursing coordinator at the Student Health Service, believes it’s a good thing the testing is being provided for free.
“I think everyone should get tested and know their status.” Malone said.
Nina Brown, a sophomore psychology major who wants to attend physician assistant school, supports the free testing for students.
“I think it’s great, we need to give people opportunities to get tested as early as possible,” Brown said.
Brown also mentioned that the health center does a good job with going about testing students for STDs.
“It’s important that people feel that it’s a confidential environment, so they feel comfortable going to get tested,” Brown said.
Yates explained that STD testing happens every day but is hardly ever advertised because people don’t like to let others know that they have been tested for an STD. Yates said he thinks the free testing is highly beneficial for students, and they should take advantage of it.
“It is very good thing. It’s supported by the CDC and the state department of health. We are trying to be an arm of that and include the Health Department of Students,” Yates said.
