By Terrance Gilbert/reporter

Rising rates of AIDS/HIV infection and dwindling funding are problems facing youth, a Texas Woman’s University professor told TR students last week.

TR Campus in conjunction with University Prevent of Mental Health Mental Retardation of Tarrant County held Put the U in U-Prevent symposium Oct. 15 on HIV, AIDS prevention and substance abuse among students.

Kimberly A. Parker, TWU graduate program coordinator, gave the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The rate among African-American residents of Texas living with HIV is nearly five times the rate for whites and Hispanics, Parker said.

“While we are seeing a trend in rates of transmission across the country, we should still be concerned by the amount of black women and young black men who have sex with men still contracting HIV,” she said.

Sexually transmitted infections among women nationally are three times higher than men, according to the latest statistics released by the CDC.

“What makes fighting the epidemic even more challenging is lack of funding from the CDC,” she said.

Linda Battle, TCC nursing assistant director, voiced concern over current testing procedures.

“We as health providers, professionals and educators in public health need to find a way to better add HIV testing to common screening and tests that are common today,” she said.             “It begins with activities just like this that engage community-level conversations with our peers, families and even in our churches. It’s vital.”

Students were encouraged to get free testing as TCC has partnered with U-Prevent to provide on-campus, confidential testing. For testing information, students can contact health services on any campus.