Posts
Five people under age 18 have been
diagnosed with HIV in Travis County in recent months, according to the medical
director of the Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department. “It
is always tragic when this is happening, especially when it’s our youth under
18,” said Dr. Philip Huang. In 2011, the department saw six cases total for
this age group.
All of the cases so far this year
have been sexually transmitted, Huang said. “Some kids and adolescents put
themselves at higher risk because they consider themselves invincible, and some
kids don’t consider oral or anal sex as sex,” he said.
The increase of HIV among young
people in Travis County mirrors one that is occurring nationwide, Huang said.
He suspects complacency about the disease is driving the trend. “We hope
parents will talk to their kids about this,” he noted.
The department’s RBJ Health Center,
15 Waller St., offers confidential STD testing and treatment services for $20,
though the clinic will waive that cost for people unable to pay, said Huang. To
make an appointment at RBJ, telephone 512-972-5430; to make an appointment at
another location in the area, telephone 512-972-5580.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
