RESEARCH BRIEF. HIV/AIDS and Campus Health AACC. The American Association of Community Colleges Bridges to Healthy Communities project

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1 AACC RESEARCH BRIEF AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES HIV/AIDS and Camps Health AACC-RB-98-3 Commnity Colleges Tackle Stdent Health and HIV/AIDS Exective Smmary By Nan Ottenritter and Lynn Barnett The American Association of Commnity Colleges Bridges to Healthy Commnities project spports commnity colleges in offering information and services to prevent HIV infection and other serios health problems in stdents. To determine the involvement of commnity colleges in the health of their stdents, AACC condcted a national srvey in The srvey gathered information from 535 campses concerning administration and leadership, crriclm, and commnity relationships. This report smmarizes the findings from that srvey. Among the findings: Alcohol/other drgs, exercise/fitness, and stress management are the most freqently addressed health isses in classes and presentations. Nineteen percent of classes otside of allied health, teacher edcation, and social/hman services programs inclde HIV/AIDS materials. Another 13 percent have considered doing so. Ninety-two percent of campses have an official bdget for HIV/AIDS edcation. Written policies most freqently relate to alcohol/ other drgs, sexal assalt, disability awareness, and mlticltralism/diversity. More than half of the colleges have a nondiscrimination policy toward HIV-infected employees and stdents, bt only 17 percent have a camps HIV task force or similar grop. Nearly two-thirds of responding colleges have no on-camps reprodctive health services. The most commonly offered reprodctive health services on campses are information-related, describing sexally transmitted diseases (STDs), safe sex, and abstinence. The least commonly offered reprodctive health services are STD testing and distribtion of condoms and other forms of birth control. AACC 1 Of the few colleges that offer HIV testing, threeqarters offer it for free. More than one-third think that HIV/AIDS was not an isse on their camps. Commnity colleges most vale conty health departments, hospitals, and grassroots commnity organizations as partners for HIV/AIDS information, spport, and referral, bt 70 percent want more collaboration. SUCCESS FACTORS FOR HEALTHY CAMPUSES Commnity Involvement Rewards Policies Programs Services Cltral Appropriateness Collaboration

2 National Srvey In 1995 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention condcted a National College Health Risk Behavior Srvey that collected data on health risk behaviors. In the latter half of 1996, the American Association of Commnity Colleges distribted its own national srvey to the presidents and stdent health coordinators at all 1,100 commnity colleges to gather data on administration and leadership, crriclm, and commnity relationships as they relate to health isses. A total of 535 campses responded to the initial or follow-p srvey, giving a total response rate of 48 percent. The actal percentage of respondents noted in this report refers to the nmber of respondents for each qestion. Persons completing the srvey inclded deans of academic and stdent affairs, health and wellness personnel, and other instittional leaders. Most respondents were from pblic colleges. Approximately 41 percent were located in rban areas, 28 percent in rral areas, 22 percent in sbrban areas, and 9 percent in other. Nearly half of the responding colleges had a stdent enrollment of 1,000-5,000 and onefifth had an enrollment from 5,000-10,000. The rest were split evenly between those with stdent enrollments less than 1,000 and greater than 10,000. AACC s goal is to establish an information baseline for HIV prevention and related health endeavors in commnity colleges, and to agment AACC s Bridges to Healthy Commnities clearinghose and referral network. Locations of Responding Campses Findings 1. How the College Commnity Learns Abot Health and HIV/AIDS Campses have adopted a variety of strategies for stdents and staff to learn abot HIV/AIDS and other health isses. These inclde passive programming sch as information on posters, brochres, and web sites (developed primarily since the srvey was condcted). More active measres inclde crriclm infsion, special programs, health centers, and inclsion of information in specific activities (e.g. advisement, registration, and orientation). The following charts illstrate some of the approaches taken by commnity colleges. Health Isses Addressed Throgh Classes or Presentations 2 AACC

3 Sorces of HIV/AIDS Information on Camps Campses Offering HIV/AIDS Conferences/Special Events in the Past Two Years Colleges that Inclde HIV/AIDS Isses in the Credit Crriclm* Or most sccessfl efforts to promote health sally involve a combination of edcation, policy and technology. Charles Detsch, Director, National Committee on Partnerships for Children s Health, Harvard School of Pblic Health *Exclding Allied Health, Teacher Edcation, and Social/Hman Services Programs AACC 3

4 2. Instittional Spports Administration and leadership of a college may play a critical role in health awareness by focsing on the larger, systemic points of intervention and setting instittional priorities. This can be done throgh strategic plans, fnded initiatives, program accreditation processes, periodic reviews, annal bdget reqests and allocations, rewards sch as promotion and tenre, professional development, collaboration with boards of trstees, compliance with federal, state and local laws, and collaboration with the commnity. Fnding, policies, and personnel spports were addressed specifically in the AACC srvey. For example, 81 percent of colleges reported receiving no grant fnding for HIV/AIDS. Ninety-two percent reported having no official bdget for HIV/AIDS activities, and abot threeqarters had no paid staff to spport HIV/AIDS activities. Perception of Availability of Resorces for Integrating HIV/ AIDS into Crricla Written Policies on Health Isses Written Policies* on HIV/AIDS Isses Policy in effect Policy is being developed No policy 4 *Other than the Americans with Disabilities Act AACC

5 Colleges with Paid Staff for HIV Prevention No paid staff 1-2 paid staff 3 or more paid staff Faclty with Expertise in HIV/AIDS A variety of grops are charged with handling HIV/AIDS isses on camps. These inclde specific HIV/AIDS grops as well as health and safety, infectios disease, drg and alcohol, and wellness committees. Campses with HIV/AIDS Task Force or Similar Grops The sccess of any instittion s academic mission depends not only on the instrction it provides, bt on the health climate it creates. Charles Detsch, Director, National Committee on Partnerships for Children s Health, Harvard School of Pblic Health AACC 5

6 3. Resorces/Services Provided for HIV-prevention Resorces and services are generally designed to meet specific health needs of college stdents. For example, HIV testing provides needed information that can lead to treatment and prevention. However, it also has other effects. It keeps the topic of health visible and health care accessible to stdents who might otherwise not have sch services. It also helps create a cltre of responsibility in which stdents learn that they can actively create healthier lifestyles. AACC wanted to know specifically abot reprodctive health services, HIV testing, and services for HIV-infected individals. The srvey also asked for reasons for not becoming involved in HIV/AIDS-prevention activities. Provision of reprodctive health services Types of Reprodctive Health Services One form of STD testing is testing for HIV. Of the 14 percent of colleges offering HIV testing, 81 percent offer confidential and 19 percent offer anonymos testing. 75 percent do not charge for the test, while 7 percent reqest a fee and 18 percent reqire a fee. Camps Sorces for Distribtion of Condoms and Other Birth Control Devices Condoms and other forms of birth control are available Condoms and other forms of birth control are not available 6 AACC

7 Services for HIV-Infected Stdents and Employees Employees Stdents Reasons for Instittional Non-involvement in HIV/AIDS 4. Commnity Resorces The answers to the AIDS epidemic will be integrative, connecting, and commnity bilding. We will progress beyond personal otcomes to interdependent commnity health. (Richard Keeling, Director of University Health Service and Professor of Medicine, University of Wisconsin- Madison). In an attempt to find ot more abot commnitycommnity college relationships, AACC asked abot key commnity organizations and levels of collaboration. The three most poplar commnity organizations for HIV/AIDSprevention collaboration were conty health departments, hospitals, and grassroots commnity organizations. Althogh 77 percent of commnity colleges perceived local commnity involvement as effective or adeqate, 70 percent wold like to see even more commnity-camps collaboration. Campses Preferred Level of Commnity-Camps Collaboration AACC 7

8 Conclsion Health care is a national priority. Accommodating the changes in technology and the health care delivery is one of the challenges of the twenty-first centry. Commnity colleges can play a major role in this transition by training health care practitioners, edcating citizens, and creating environments in which health is the norm, not the exception. The reslts of this srvey indicate some of the areas in which college leaders can take action and make change occr. The following resorces provide additional information that can help inform and gide colleges. Selected References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC Srveillance Smmaries, November 14, MMWR 1997; 46 (No. 55-6). Detsch, C Connecting Health and Learning. Commnity College Jornal 67: Keeling, R. P HIV and Higher Edcation: From Isolation to Engagement. Reprint from Liberal Edcation. Washington, DC. Association of American Colleges and Universities. Ottenritter, N., and Barnett, L Bridges to Healthy Commnities. AACC Project Brief. Washington, DC. American Association of Commnity Colleges. Ottenritter, N., and Frengel, E Stdents at Risk. Commnity College Jornal 68: Pilkey, M. (Prodcer) Service Learning: A Commnity Strategy for HIV Prevention. [videotape]. Washington, DC. American Association of Commnity Colleges. Selected Electronic Resorces Commnity Colleges American Association of Commnity Colleges top.htm College of DPage Kapi olani Commnity College Northern Virginia Commnity College bridhome.htm San Antonio College Santa Barbara City College hwp.html Government Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC National AIDS Clearinghose HIV/AIDS Treatment Information Service (ATIS) AIDS Clinical Trials Information Service (ACTIS) AIDSNEWS Listserv listserv@cdcnac.org Other Jornal of the American Medical Association - HIV/AIDS The NAMES Project Critical Path Project Inform Bridges to Healthy Commnities PROJECT DIRECTOR: LYNN BARNETT PROJECT COORDINATOR: NAN OTTENRITTER STAFF ASSISTANT: CHARICE MORGAN AMERICAN ASSOCIA SSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES One Dpont Circle, NW, Site 410 Washington, DC Phone: 202/ , x230 Fax: 202/ http// AACC no/4/98 AACC