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…
◘20-25 % 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!!
◘ 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.
◘ Only one-third of college students nationwide regularly use
condoms during intercourse (Free Press, 2006)
◘There are 15 million new cases of STDs in the United States, 10
million of those affecting people age 15-24. (Loquitor, 2004)
◘ The highest incidence of genital warts occurs among young
adults, ages 15-18. (Calvert, 2003)
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 15-24 year olds.
◘Although spring 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).
Flings!
◘ 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. 35-40% 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….
◘ 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.)
◘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
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.
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.
References
Internet
St. John Elizabeth. 2006. Nurse:Spring Break Increases Risk of STDs.
>http://www.usmfreepress.org
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. 2006. STD Facts. >http://www.cdc.gov
Books/Articles
Crooks, Robert. Our Sexuality. Sexually Transmitted Diseases.. Thomas Learning Inc, 2005. p. 473
Heaton, Amy. 2004 STD Rates Highest Among College Students. The Utah Statesman.