College Students By: Kendra Goodman HLTH 220

Lets Talk About Sex…. ♥There is no denying that sex is on the brains of many, if not all college students. The increased independence and minimal limitations can cause many teens to lose all their inhibitions and place themselves in risky situations. Though sexual education classes are being taught and birth control contraceptives are being distributed, the rise of sexually transmitted infections or STD’s, among college students is increasing.

Talk About Sex cont… ◘ % of college students across the country have either been infected with an STD or transmitted an STD to their sexual partners. ◘ 2/3s of individuals infected with an STD is under the age of 25. (Feroli & Burstein, 2003) ◘ 3 million teenagers ( 1 in 4 sexually active adolescents) are infected with one or more STD’s each year. About 1 in 4 people contracts an STD by age 21. (Feroli & Burstein, 2003)

Common Misconceptions! ♥There are a few misconceptions about sexually transmitted infections that college students must understand. ◘Many students feel like “IT WONT HAPPEN TO ME” ◘Many people do not realize that college-age students are the most common group for contracting and transmitting STDs. ◘Most students do not realize that they are infected until they go to a health facility and get diagnosed.

Here’s the Facts!! ◘ Only one-third of college students nationwide regularly use condoms during intercourse (Free Press, 2006) ◘ The highest incidence of genital warts occurs among young adults, ages (Calvert, 2003) ◘ In a study conducted in 2001 by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, research concluded that risky sexual behaviors were considered to be 1.76 times more likely when alcohol was consumed as opposed to it not being consumed. ◘There are 15 million new cases of STDs in the United States, 10 million of those affecting people age (Loquitor, 2004)

Facts cont…. ◘ The most common infections found on college campuses are HPV or genital warts, Chlamydia, Genital Herpes, and Gonorrhea. ◘ Human papillomavirus, known as HPV or genital warts, is present in 25 to 40 percent of college women (Free Press, 2006) ◘ Teenage women ages 15-19, have the highest rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea infections of any age group in the United States. (Feroli & Burstein, 2003) Three-fourths of all reported cases of chlamydia occur among year olds.

Spring Flings! ◘Although spring break is a time where students have fun and leave all their worries back home, it can also be a time where students participate in risky behaviors. Spring break brings an increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases for college students (Daily Collegian). ◘ In 1997 there was a poll of college students done by the Durex condom company. The poll found that 64% of the students admitted to having at least one casual spring break hook up.

Spring Flings cont…. ◘13% confessed to having 5 or more hook ups. ◘ According to Durex, 47% of spring breakers said they did not open a condom wrapper once during spring break. ◘Out of the remaining 13% that engaged in intercourse, 73% did not use a condom.

Most Common Campus STDs ◘ Human Papillomavirus: HPV HPV is one of the most common diseases spread throughout college. Most people who become infected with the virus will have no symptoms at all and should clear up on their own % of sexually active females in college would test positive for HPV at some point. 1 in 10 college women become infected with HPV each year.

Common STDs cont …. ◘ C◘ Chlamydia Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases caused by the bacteria Chlamydia Trachomatis. It can be passed during vaginal, anal or oral sex. It is known as a “silent” disease because 75% of infected women and at least half of infected men have no symptoms. If symptoms do occur they usually appear 1-3 weeks after exposure.

Most Common (cont.) ◘G◘Genital Herpes Genital Herpes is an STD caused by the herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2. Most individuals have minimal symptoms, but when they do there are usually one or more blisters on or around the genitals or rectum. Herpes is more common in women (1 out of 4) than in men ( 1out of 5). There is no treatment for herpes but antiviral medications can prevent outbreaks.

Most common cont… Gonorrhea is a very common infectious disease. It is caused Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a bacterium that can grow and multiply easily in areas of the reproductive tract. Ejaculation does not have to occur for it to be transmitted or acquired. Gonorrhea can also be spread from mother to baby during delivery. Symptoms and signs are often minimal and can take as long as 30 days to appear. ◘ G◘ Gonorrhea

Why are they so Promiscuous? ◘Many people wonder why students get to college and lose all their morals. STD statistics are highest among adolescents. There are many factors that lead to rate of STDs in this age group. ◘They are more likely to have more sexual partners. In addition they also tend to shorter relationships which leads to more partners. ◘ They are also less likely to use a condom, and perceive themselves as not being at risk. They are also at risk if it relates to alcohol and drug use. ◘ With heterosexual students, a lot of couples do not use condoms if the female is taking birth control pills or other forms of birth control.

Who’s Educating Them? ◘ The lack of education is a primary factor when trying to find a result of the prevalence of STDs among college students. There are many different opinions about who should be teaching their teens about sex. The main controversy is whether parents should be the sole educators, schools or both. Some people feel that schools should teach students to wait until marriage to have sex, while others say educating about contraception is more important. ◘ Studies show that most students wanted sex education to be a part of their curriculum. Other factors such as misleading information also is a cause of the rate of STDs. Many students go to their friends with questions about sex and contraceptives instead of going to the proper health care physician.

What's the Issue with Condoms? One of the factors with the high rate of STDs, is that students are not using condoms when having intercourse. When they do use them some are not using them correctly. Some reasons associated with not using a condom are: ◘Embarrassment about condom purchase ◘Use of other birth controls that don’t prevent STDs ◘The belief that condoms interfere with sexual pleasure ◘Insufficient knowledge of STD transmission

Be Safe…Wrap It Up!! ◘Condoms are not the only contraceptive on the market. There are oral contraceptives, injection shots, and IUDs. You can also take an abstinence approach. If you do not want to abstain from sex you should obtain regular medical examinations.Another approach is avoiding sexual activity with multiple partners. You should always inspect your partners genitals and wash your genitals before and after sexual contact. Most importantly inform your partner if you are diagnosed with an STD to prevent transmission.

St. John Elizabeth Nurse:Spring Break Increases Risk of STDs. Center for Disease Control and Prevention STD Facts. References Internet Books/Articles Crooks, Robert. Our Sexuality. Sexually Transmitted Diseases.. Thomas Learning Inc, p. 473 Heaton, Amy STD Rates Highest Among College Students. The Utah Statesman. > >