One in five college students has a sexually transmitted disease (STD), and more than half of all people will have an STD/STI at some point in their lives, according to The Center for Disease Control.
Nineteen million new sexually transmitted disease cases occur each year, and almost half of these are among people between the ages of 15 to 24. However, less than half of adults ages 18 to 44 have ever been tested for an STD/STI other than HIV/AIDS.
"Students at UB have access to testing and treatment through a variety of venues, not just Student Health Services. Therefore, we don't have an actual number or percentage of UB students with sexually transmitted infections," said Susan Snyder, director of Student Health Services. "That being said, in the college-aged population, the most common bacterial STI is chlamydia, and the most common viral STI is herpes."
A June 2007 study, conducted when UB partnered with the Erie County Department of Health to offer gonorrhea and chlamydia screening tests to students seeking STI services at UB, confirmed that a substantial chlamydia burden exists among students.
Between June 4, 2007 and May 31, 2009, there were 1,464 student visits to the Student Health Services for an STI testing. Among the 1,386 chlamydia and gonorrhea tests performed, 90 (6.5 percent) were chlamydia-positive and six (0.4 percent) were gonorrhea-positive. Additional studies have shown that the incidence of gonorrhea in the Buffalo metropolitan area is twice the national average.
Chlamydia, which many times shows no signs or symptoms, can have especially devastating effects for women when gone undetected, according to Gale Burstein, associate professor of clinical pediatrics and a researcher in the study.
"Chlamydia can result in pelvic inflammation, which can cause scarring, chronic pelvic pain, an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy in the fallopian tube or elsewhere outside of the womb), and infertility," Burstein said.
It is recommended that all sexually active women up through the age of 25 be screened yearly for chlamydia and other STDs.
Many bacterial STIs, like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, are usually cured with antibiotics. Viral STIs, which can be remembered as the "four H's": HIV, HPV, herpes, and hepatitis, have no cure. However, treatments may be available for their symptoms, and there are vaccines that may help to prevent both HPV and hepatitis.
There are many ways to get tested. There are appointments available with Student Health Services, and there are a number of private providers and clinics in the area that provide sexual health care, including testing.
The SBI Health Education program offers peer educators to provide education sessions after being tested and before you receive your results. In addition to one-on-one, confidential counseling and education sessions, they provide a variety of programs and workshops on sexual health.
"The goals of our programs are to provide students with both information about their sexual health and also empower them to make healthy choices," said Andrew Zapfel, a senior political science major, SBI peer educator, and AIDS Coalition Supervisor. "Using protection, knowing options for birth control, and understanding basic anatomy are important for any student to know to remain safe and healthy."
Students should be extra vigilant about protecting themselves because of the prevalence of STDs in the college population. The SBI program distributes free condoms and lube at its office in Hayes Annex C on South Campus, near Diefendorf Hall, as well as at the SBI Ticket Office in the Student Union.
"One of the most important conversations a couple can have is the conversation about protecting each other," said Jane Fischer, director of SBI health education. "If one or both of you have had previous sexual partners, if you haven't been tested recently, or if there may have been exposures, you may want to be tested together. Remember – talking about STIs beforehand is much better, and easier, than when you find yourself in the heat of the moment."
SBI's office can be reached at (716) 829-2584 or sbi-healthed@buffalo.edu.
E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
