NAFSA's Statement on AIDS and International Education Issues: Education
The office or offices with primary access to international students must be integrally involved in coordinating appropriate AIDS education programs. In some cases, this office may not necessarily be responsible for coordinating AIDS education for domestic students (e.g., foreign student affairs instead of student health).
AIDS education programs for international students should serve two primary purposes: to prevent unwarranted fear of infection, and to provide accurate information about prevention.
Students may have fears about studying or traveling in a country with a real or perceived high prevalence of HIV infection. These fears may be based on misconceptions about transmission (i.e., casual contact) or on valid concerns about exposure through sexual contact or contaminated blood.
Student concerns based on misinformation about the routes of transmission may deter them from studying in countries with a high prevalence of reported HIV infection. Institutions in the United States should be aware that the United States is considered a country of high prevalence. Foreign student admissions offices should be prepared to address prospective foreign student concerns about enrolling in institutions in the United States. Similarly, students who are enrolled may have concerns about living and studying in the United States.
Misinformation may also contribute to institutional and individual reprisals against persons (whether infected or not) from high-prevalence countries. The institution should make every attempt in all of its AIDS education programs to allay fears and prevent discriminatory actions based on misinformation. Institutions should respond decisively and thoroughly to harassment or other abuse toward any student. Students who have lived or studied abroad may express concerns about infection from sexual contact or exposure to blood. The institution should address these concerns according to the recommendations contained herein and in the chapter on psychosocial issues in AIDS on the College Campus, second edition (ACHA, 1989).
Foreign Student Education
An effective AIDS prevention program must recognize those attitudes and values that will affect a student's ability or willingness to receive and act upon AIDS information. Programs should offer education and counseling in a flexible, culturally sensitive, non-threatening manner.
The variety of developmental, cultural, and religious attitudes among international students toward sexual behavior, sexual negotiation and decision-making, condom and contraceptive use, and intravenous drug use will determine the methods that will effectively provide students with preventive education.
The responsible office should attempt to identify developmental and cultural attitudes toward sexual and drug use behaviors. Program development should take into consideration these diverse attitudes and values and should respect differing cultural perspectives. The range of specific program activities and formats should offer many different means of obtaining information appropriate to varying levels of student comfort with discussing these behaviors.
At a minimum, the education program should:
- · actively involve foreign students in developing and delivering peer education programs. Foreign student participation in AIDS education is essential to identifying the target audience's cultural norms, issues of greatest concern, and most effective channels of information. Foreign student involvement will demonstrate institutional cross-cultural sensitivity and will provide greater access to information and peer support.
- provide AIDS training sessions to staff of foreign student offices, education abroad, and other departments that provide services to international students.
- include AIDS information in any new student orientation program.
U.S. Student Education
Institutions of higher education should develop and implement AIDS education and prevention programs for U.S. students according to the recommendations contained in the General Statement on Institutional Response to AIDS and AIDS on the College Campus. The institution should make additional efforts to provide preventive education for U.S. students preparing to study abroad.
Information regarding AIDS and travel abroad may be difficult to obtain or confusing. Some of the information may change frequently or differ according to source. Maintaining current information will depend upon the close cooperation of the student health service, the foreign student affairs office, the study abroad office, and the individual student. Those institutions that sponsor students abroad have a heightened responsibility to obtain such information. Information for students preparing to study abroad should address the following issues:
HIV Antibody Testing
Individual national requirements for HIV antibody testing for purposes of entry or residence vary widely and change frequently. In some countries, testing is required for any visa or for an extended visa. In some countries, actual testing requirements may differ from the official stated policy of the country.
Foreign Service
Students applying for foreign service positions should be aware that there is currently mandatory HIV antibody testing of applicants for positions in various U.S. agencies. Testing issues are addressed in the ACHA brochure, "The HIV Antibody Test," which states:
"You might want to be tested if ... you will be required to undergo mandatory testing (e.g. for military, Foreign Service, or Job Corps application). Since mandatory test results will become part of a permanent record, you might want to receive anonymous testing and counseling first, and perhaps withdraw your application if the result is positive."
Permanent Resident Status
Foreign students seeking permanent resident status in the United States should be aware that the United States requires HIV antibody testing of all applicants for permanent residency. Those applicants testing positive are denied status.
Blood Supplies
A higher risk of transmission of HIV through contaminated blood or blood products used for transfusion therapy exists in some countries with inadequate or inconsistent screening of the blood supply.
Needles
If a student anticipates the need for hypodermic needles during study abroad (e.g. for insulin injection), the student health service should carefully consider recommending that the student obtain U.S. hypodermic equipment and needles to take abroad. The responsible office should obtain information on a given nation's laws regulating the import and possession of hypodermic needles.
Insurance
The institution should provide information on adequate insurance coverage for students going abroad.
Condoms
Some Islamic countries regulate the import or possession of condoms and other contraceptive devices. Students traveling overseas should be aware that the reliability and quality of condoms vary according to different national standards. Some condoms manufactured in countries outside the United States have a demonstrated lower rate of effectiveness.
Staff
All institutional staff who have regular contact with international students should be prepared to address AIDS-related issues. In addition to training on the medical, legal, and psychological aspects of AIDS, staff in student health, counseling, and residential life should receive training in cross-cultural sensitivity.
Referrals
The responsible office and all other staff who have contact with international students should know how to refer students to health educators, clinicians, or counselors, either on or off campus, who are especially sensitive to and experienced with the needs of people of other countries and cultures.
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