HIV testing without treatment? (17)
-----------------------------------
Thank you for your comments regarding my proposed HIV point preva-
lence study in a high school (thread #13).
In response to Janice's concern (thread #14) that "some of the more
physically and less emotionally mature students [may] decide that a
certain person is positive because of the way s/he looks", the small-
est standard in the school has 185 students in it, so finger pointing
will be minimized. I can only hope that the percentage positive will
be much lower than 20%. In response to the concern that "Everyone
will wonder if *they* are positive, or maybe their closest friend, or
boyfriend", I think this can be a valuable tool for health education,
leading some to take precautions and stimulating a realistic discus-
sion of how to be supportive of HIV positive friends. When I went
into a rural middle school with a health educator, this was one of
the questions asked by the students.
In response to Koye's concern (thread #15) regarding septicaemia, I
have never heard of someone developing septicaemia from a finger
stick with an alcohol swab. I would, of course, rather use saliva
tests, and would welcome any suggestions as to the most economical
way to do this. In response to your other concern, the purpose of the
testing is not to directly benefit the HIV positive students. As an
unlinked test, it is to gain information regarding a population. I
imagine that if the students see increasing rates from standard 8 to
standard 10, they will think about why and what they can do about it.
This is a pilot study to see if this approach has something to add in
health education as well as evaluating its acceptability as a sur-
veillance tool.
Pam Gross
mailto:pamgross@mweb.co.za
--
Send mail for the `AFRO-NETS' conference to `afro-nets@usa.healthnet.org'.
Mail administrative requests to `majordomo@usa.healthnet.org'.
For additional assistance, send mail to: `owner-afro-nets@usa.healthnet.org'.