Fresno County has the second highest rate of chlamydia and approximately the seventh highest rate of gonorrhea in the state of California, according to the Fresno County Department of Public Health (FCDPH).­ To address this and the stigma associated with getting tested, the Test Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself event held in the Free Speech Area on Nov. 21 provided free on site HIV/AIDS testing for Fresno state students.

“Our main reason to be out here today is to provide health education to students and to get students tested,” Gina Adams of the Fresno County Department of Public Health said.­ “Hopefully more women will get into the habit of getting checked as they start new relationships and end old ones.”

Most people affected by STDs are between the ages 15 and 24, and do not know they are infected. Statistics show that one-in-two sexually active Americans will get an STD by the time they turn 25.

There has been an increase in positive HIV tests recently in Fresno County.­ Those who are testing positive are predominately male, in the 18-to-25 age range. They are usually men who have sex with other men and tend to be Hispanic and African-American, according to the FCDPH.

Fresno State student Elissa Gill, who also worked at the event, said it was successful since 26 people were going to be tested and the spots filled within one-and-a-half hours.

“We want to eliminate the stigma of HIV testing,” Gill said.

Having certain STDs can also make you more susceptible to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS.­ One in five Americans living with HIV does not know they are infected.

Women who are testing positive are young, of child-bearing age and tend to be Hispanic or African-American as well.­ For these women, the biggest risk factor for contracting HIV is their partner.

“Getting tested is easy and painless.­ Some STD tests are as simple as a urine test or a cheek swab which is what we are performing here today,” event coordinator Dr. William Thatcher said.

“Other tests require a finger prick or a blood sample,” Thatcher said.­ “You can get your results in as quickly as 20 minutes.”

“April is STD awareness month, but we feel it is such a pervasive problem that it should be discussed at every opportunity.­ Test Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself is based on the national ‘GYT’ campaign by the CDC and MTV, which encourages testing and promotes an open dialogue about STDs,” Dr. Thatcher said.

“June 5 marked the 30-year anniversary of live reports of HIV/AIDS by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.­ Myself and three other people from the community that will speak on different parts of these 30 years,” Adams added.

The Department of Public Health will also be holding a World AIDS Day event at the Tower Theater on Thursday, Dec. 1st at 5:30 p.m.­ The event will have local entertainment, including a gospel band and will feature a presentation of quilts which were presented to the project from people who have passed away from AIDS in the Central Valley.