HIV high among Triangle students

 Two studies released independently this summer from researchers at Duke and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill highlighted a high risk of sexually transmitted diseases for young females and revealed a spike in HIV among male college students in the Triangle area, respectively.

 The Duke study, conducted by Dr. Kimberly Yarnall, associate professor of family medicine, focused on groups of young women from both the Durham and Seattle areas and reported few significant differences between the college student and non-student populations polled. Yarnall did note, however, that black college students from the Durham area were more likely to use condoms than any other group polled.

 "The biggest finding was that 78 percent of the women didn't think they were at risk [for an STD]," Yarnall said. The study reported that non-students had slightly more risky behavior than students even though researchers had expected the opposite results. Women were more likely to have protected sex if their partners thought it was a good idea or if they had a condom handy. Women on birth control, on the other hand, were more likely not to use condoms. The UNC study, spearheaded by Dr. Peter Leone, associate professor of medicine, found a disproportionate 25 male college students infected with HIV, 88 percent of whom were gay black men in the Triangle, and also noted that a network of this group was most likely spreading the disease. None of the 25 students identified attend Duke. Leone also examined statistics from other parts of the state, which revealed that 56 college students statewide are currently known to be infected. In June 2000, there were only four reported cases, and about 40 percent of the students have been infected since then. Leone was unsure if behavioral differences were the cause of the spike. "Given that we've had some real success in terms of medication [for HIV], maybe we've had a sense of complacency [among students]," Leone said. "I don't think that most college students see themselves at risk for HIV or STDs."

 Despite the possibility of complacency, Dr. William Christmas, Director of Student Health Services, said there seemed to be a strong feeling among Duke students to want to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases although the number of students requesting testing has decreased over the past three years. Three hundred and seventy tests were administered in 2000-01, 315 in 2001-02 and 289 in 2002-03. "That's good in some ways, but disturbing in other ways.... It's good that they want to get tested, but it also suggests that [students] may not be protecting themselves," he said.

 Christmas added that he was unsure why fewer students are getting tested and said he does not believe that the results of tests being registered in the student's medical record is a factor. Leone disagreed.

 "My perception is that people don't want to come in [because] a lot of students don't like having that information in their medical record," he said.

 Christmas said that, while the major HIV epidemic that was expected on college campuses soon after HIV surfaced never materialized, students have been lulled into a false sense of security. Although they may come to Duke informed about the causes and modes of transmission of HIV, Christmas said, students' behaviors seem to contradict their purported knowledge.

 While rates of chlamydia infection had been decreasing nationally, they have since increased over the past year, suggesting an unwelcome trend, Christmas said.

 "I'm afraid we're looking at the tip of the iceberg," Leone added. "The cases we're looking at are the ones who voluntarily come in."