March 1, 2018 at 5:15 pm

Cafe Conversation | An Honest Discussion about HIV: Combating Misconceptions, March 28

Science Café presents Dr. Tania Basta on “An Honest Discussion about HIV: Combating Misconceptions” on Wednesday, March 28, at 5 p.m. in the Baker Center Front Room Coffeehouse.

Rural areas of the United States have historically experienced fewer newly diagnosed cases and people living with HIV/AIDS than their urban counterparts, notes Basta, Chair of the Social and Public Health Department at Ohio University. However, a 2016 Center for Disease Control and Prevention report identified 220 U.S. counties that are most vulnerable for outbreaks of HIV and Hepatitis C, with over half of the counties located in Appalachia.

Why is this the case? “There are multiple factors, but one is increased use of opiates use in the region,” Basta said. She will discuss the factors fueling the HIV/HCV rural epidemics in Appalachia, including the recent outbreaks in Appalachian West Virginia and Kentucky. She also will discuss misconceptions related to HIV/AIDS that still often persist, as well as methods of prevention.

Dr. Tania Basta

Watch live or later on A&S TV.

Sciencé Cafe events are held on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. in the Front Room at Baker University Center. They are free and open to students, faculty and staff. Science Café is a venue for students to share their interests informally during a conversation exchange in a friendly setting.

The Science Café is hosted by Dr. Sarah Wyatt, Professor of Environmental & Plant Biology and Vice President of the Ohio University Chapter of Sigma Xi, and Roxanne Malé-Brune, Director of Grant Development and Projects in the Office of the Vice President for Research and Creativity.

Science Café and Café Conversations are sponsored by the Office of Vice President for Research and Creativity and the Ohio University Chapter of Sigma Xi.