Know Your Status: Ohio State's HIV/STI Testing Program and its Valued Partnerships
Abstract:
The Student Life Student Wellness Center at Ohio State aims to empower students to strive for balance and wellness, through group and individual services and programs. One of those services, no-cost HIV/STI testing, is unique in many regards. Led almost entirely by students, lab managers and volunteer test counselors are extensively trained on university and state policy, testing protocol, and counseling skills to handle numerous clients and their sexual health needs. The program would not be what it is today without involvement from various entities, both on- and off-campus. These meaningful partnerships include other Student Life depart-ments, Columbus Public Health, and nonprofit organizations such as Equitas Health. Partners aid in providing testing materials, lab analysis, delivering STI test results, and providing secondary testing for HIV. By working together, the HIV/STI testing program has reached more clients on an annual basis than ever before.
Description:
This presentation is intended to share information with other higher education practitioners and community members on the origins, planning process, and implementation of the no-cost HIV/STI testing program, managed by the Student Life Student Wellness Center at The Ohio State University. AIDS education and outreach efforts within the Student Life Student Wellness Center began in 1982, with HIV/STI testing existing for more than a decade. Currently operating three nights a week at two different locations on campus, the program is almost entirely led and managed by students, who either serve as lab managers or volunteer test counselors. Student recruitment draws from various academic backgrounds, largely in the health sciences, with public health, biology, neuroscience, women, gender and sexuality studies, and other majors represented. Students must complete a rigorous three-day training, where they review both university and state policy, testing procedure, and other necessary counseling skills. Once training is complete, "novice" test counselors shadow more experienced upperclassmen for a minimum of four hours, and are phased into counseling on their own within a few weeks’ time. Staff evaluate these "solo sessions" according to a stringent rubric, which provides quality control and ensures consistency in the client testing experience. The program tests for two sexually transmitted infections, chlamydia and gonorrhea, as well as HIV. A typical testing sessions lasts for 30 to 45 minutes, and will include the actual administration of the test (i.e., a urine sample and/or HIV oral fluid swab). HIV test results are delivered by test counselors during the session, and STI test results are sent to the Columbus Public Health laboratory for analysis and results. To offer syphilis and secondary HIV testing, the program invites a phlebotomist from Equitas Health to perform blood draw tests one night a week on campus. Students are also invited to join the "Condom Club" while they wait to be tested; this service offers condoms and other barrier methods at a reduced cost. Membership is granted after students watch an educational video and complete a short quiz. Membership allows for the purchase of up to 25 condoms at a cost of $5. By partnering with the local health department and nonprofit organizations, the program is able to serve more clients overall, and offer a seamless linkage to care in the event a client has a preliminary positive HIV test result or other sexual health concerns. Soft referrals can be made to other HIV testing sites in Columbus, as well as other campus resources (e.g., Counseling and Consultation Service, Wilce Student Health Center, Title IX) and community services (e.g., AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio). Additionally, the program has invited guest speakers from these partnerships to speak to the students about numerous sexual health topics (e.g., LGBTQ+ health, contraception).
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Natalie Fiato, wellness coordinator, Office of Student Life, Ohio State Student Wellness Center, fiato.1@osu.edu (Corresponding Author); Michaela Martin, interim assistant director, Office of Student Life, Ohio State Student Wellness Center
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Natalie Fiato, wellness coordinator, Office of Student Life, Ohio State Student Wellness Center, fiato.1@osu.edu (Corresponding Author); Michaela Martin, interim assistant director, Office of Student Life, Ohio State Student Wellness Center
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