Every year, one quarter of the estimated 12 million new cases of STD’s in the United States occur among teenagers, according to The American Sexual Health Association. About half of these cases come from teens aging from 15-24.
STD’s are spread through multiple ways. Some include sexual activity, injection of drugs and having multiple sex partners. However, these are other ways it can be spread as well, these include people residing in detention centers and attending STD clinics. Failure to use protection during sexual activity can lead to having the risk of catching a STD, as well.
Based on a Twitter survey conducted on campus, almost 15 percent of students admitted to having an STD before. About 70 percent of students have no basic knowledge about STDs or what they can do to someone’s body. Most students don’t even really think about contracting a sexual disease when they are with another person. 70 percent say they rarely think about that when they are with a partner.
Student who feel as though they have been exposed to STD’s can go to Health Services. Director Susan Fitzgerald has been working for Cabrini Health Services for 30 years and has a lot of experience in her field.
“100 percent effective way to prevent being exposed to an STD’s is to just not be sexually active,” Fitzgerald said. A way that the college and health services have tried to have students learn more about STDs is by placing information in front of their office.
“Health Service does New Stall Times and we put information in there about STDs and the signs and symptoms and general information about STDs,” Fitzgerald said. “Not in every issue but in some issues throughout the course of the year and we usually have pamphlet outside of student health that addresses STDs in younger people. We also see people here in the clinical setting who may have concerns about themselves and their risks of exposure or may have possibly been exposed. We can do some limited STD screening. We send out specimens for chlamydia and gonorrhea. We do not do routine HIV screening but we refer to places in the community for HIV screening.”
At the Williams State Service Center located in Dover, Del., nurse Kimberly Ross Tilley works in the Sexual and Reproductive Health Clinic.
“Many people come in to be tested and treated for STDs,” Tilley said. “Some come in every time they have a new relationship and some come in once a year depending on their risk factors. Everyone is at risk because many of the diseases have no symptoms but can be easily spread through sexual relations.”
STDs are a danger and is something that cannot be taken lightly. Tilley strongly suggest that STD’s should be taken seriously.
“Yes, young people should be scared of STDs and should protect themselves with using condoms 100% of the time,” Tilley said. “They should be tested at least once per year if they are having sex.”
“If someone has STDs they need to be tested and treated right away,” Tilley said. “Most health centers accept insurance or if you do not have insurance than the local health department will provide services.”
