While the focus has been on COVID-19 the last four years, North Carolina is still a “state of concern for HIV,” said Deborah Fortune, Ph.D., a professor in the department of public health education.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is an infection that attacks the body’s immune system. It can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which is the most advanced stage of the disease. While there is no cure for HIV or AIDS, there is treatment.
Fortune has conducted research on HIV and the sexual health of African American college women, ages 18-24, for almost two decades.
Her research showed that heterosexual African American women are at higher risk of being infected by HIV as compared to white women
“The primary risk was their sexual partner,” Fortune said. “They may perceive that they are in a monogamous relationship – when they are not – and so lack consistent condom use and not know their partner’s HIV status.”
When the majority of college students on a given campus are female, male students may have concurrent female sexual partners. While that is true at universities in general, Black female students outnumber Black male students in higher education.
That trend started in the mid 1970s according to the National Center for Education Statistics and continued at least until 2022. At North Carolina Central University(NCCU), female students make up slightly more than 70% of the student population.
Fortune’s research found that the use of condoms in relationships decreases three to six months after the relationship begins.
Fortune has also conducted research on intimate partner violence – a HIV risk factor for African American college women – and, starting in September 2023, research on pre-exposure prophylactics (PrEP) which prevents transmission of HIV to uninfected partners.
“More research is needed to understand African American college women’s knowledge, attitude and perception regarding PrEP, including the likelihood of PrEP use,” Fortune said. “What do (female students) know? Are they likely to use PrEP if they are at high risk?”
In 2010. Fortune started a peer-led HIV prevention project entitled Status Matters. Status Matters purpose was to empower African American college women to protect themselves from HIV infection through education on topics such as consistent condom use, use of alcohol and drugs, how to communicate with your partners and knowing your HIV status.
“Before COVID, there was a good amount of HIV testing on campus and we promoted knowing the results of the test,” Fortune said.
For the general public, Fortune believes that concern over HIV gets less attention than it used to.
“A lot of people died from HIV,” Fortune said. “I think people forgot that HIV was a pandemic as well as COVID.”
Other Campus Efforts
At the NCCU Student Health Center, students who pay the health fee can access a range of services including testing for sexually transmitted infections.
The Student Health Center partners with the Durham County Department of Public Health, which offers free HIV testing on campus. Appointments can be made online, said Lindsay Dozier, a health educator.
There is also Project Safe, a student-led organization that educates students on sexually transmitted infections and promotes testing on campus.
