Student Health initiated a new program in December that increased the number of certified HIV counselors available to students.
The program was initiated in an effort to provide additional personnel to perform HIV testing and counseling, as well as to further HIV prevention education, said Tara Schuster, a health educator and HIV counselor with Student Health.
"A lot of the things we do out of the counseling center are education oriented," Schuster said. "We wanted to have that opportunity to meet with students to do a fair amount of education with them, in addition to the blood tests."
Supported by their marketing slogan "know your status and pass it on," Schuster said she hopes to make students more aware of their HIV status because she fears many people are uncertain of their HIV status, and may be unwittingly passing the disease to others.
The program, which officially began Dec. 1, was not a response to an insufficient supply of counselors, Schuster said, but she hopes the additional counselors will provide students with a valuable resource.
While the new program has increased the number of counselors and will emphasize educational efforts, Schuster said Student Health will continue offering HIV testing through blood samples as opposed to oral swabs because she said this type of test is the most reliable.
"We wanted the best possible testing available, and blood testing is the most efficient you can get," said Schuster.
Student Health will continue to provide free and confidential HIV tests, Schuster said, meaning the information is only available on the patient's medical record and is accessible solely by healthcare providers.
While Student Health tests are confidential, Student Health is not allowed to offer anonymous testing, according to Schuster. However, she added that the Charlottesville Health Department does offer HIV tests that are anonymous.
Elizabeth Davies, coordinator of the AIDS Drugs Assistance Program with the Virginia Department of Health, said she does not believe the offer of anonymous testing entices more people to get tested for HIV.
"I would look at [anonymous testing] as another option for people who want to get tested," Davies said. "I don't think it makes a big difference in numbers, but I do know that patients appreciate that we offer it."
Schuster urged students to be tested for HIV every six months or with every new sexual partner. Student Health will keep statistics this semester on the numbers of males and females who come in for HIV tests so they can try to gauge the effectiveness of the new program.
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