Aids & College Students

Why is it that some people never give a second thought to diseases like cancer or aids until it hits home?

Aids came up on my radar this morning when my daughter called from college to tell me some shocking news. Apparently there is information circulating on her campus that two-thirds of the students who tested for aids/HIV recently found out they were positive.

Granted, the number of students tested was low—a little over 100—in comparison to the student enrollment of more than 11,000---but what raises a more serious question for me, as a parent, is why does aids still seem out of control---especially for young African-Americans? Where is the education? Why have we failed in stressing the point about the fatal results of aids?

I did some research and found these startling facts. North Carolina, the state where my daughter goes to school, ranks in the Top Ten of NEW aids/HIV cases.

As of 2006, these were the reported numbers of new aids cases:

Ages 15-19, 5626
Ages 20-24, 36,225
Ages 25-29, 117,099
Ages 30-34, 197,530
Ages 35-39 213,573

When I mentioned this news on Twitter, one of my followers suggested I remove my daughter from the school. I have a better idea. Make it mandatory for EVERY prospective student take an Aids/HIV test before being allowed to be admitted.

What do you think needs to be done to stop this ever-increasing epidemic?