Julia Shanahan
Since Planned Parenthood of the Heartland closed one-third of its Iowa clinics last June, fears of rising STD/STI rates have taken root across the state.
This is could be a growing problem for specifically the millennial generation, and the only logical solution would be to make STD/STI testing more prevalent.
Students are already required by the University to provide proof of two measles, mumps, rubella vaccinations and are strongly recommended to receive a list of others, including but not limited to HPV, hepatitis, and meningitis. The CDC reported an average of 267,000 cases of measles and 4,240 cases of mumps a year. The Confederation of Meningitis Organizations reported an average of 1 million cases of meningitis a year.
These numbers are nothing compared with those of STD/STI cases.
There is an average of 20 million new cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis reported in the United States each year, half of them among people ages 15-24. And 1.1 million Americans are affected by HIV, and one in five are unaware that they carry the infection.
Along with getting vaccinated upon campus arrival, students should also be strongly encouraged to get tested for common sexually transmitted diseases and infections. Doing so could help people treat unknown illnesses and help the already disturbing number of 20 million to decrease.
The UI offers year-round testing for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV Monday through Friday. Fifty-two percent of students can qualify for a Community Public Health Services state grant, and those who do not can still get tested under their insurance. No student is required to release any unwanted information to a parent or guardian, even if they are covered under their parents’ or guardians’ health plan.
Constance Wagner, the nurse manager for Student Health & Wellness, reported that in 2016 there were 2,192 tests sent to the State Hygienics Lab under the state grant. Of that number, 213 were positive for chlamydia and 23 were positive for gonorrhea; 72 percent of those people did not report symptoms.
It is not uncommon for STDs/STIs to go undetected. Although people may not think that they show signs of infection, many of these diseases are asymptomatic, which is all the more reason for people to get tested. It is common for infections such as chlamydia and gonorrhea to be asymptomatic during their beginning stages.
It is understood that not every incoming student has been or is sexually active. However, some STDs/STIs can be transmitted in ways other than sexual. There are indirect ways to spread these diseases, such as sharing razors, needles, and damp towels. They could also be spread through dry and oral sex.
The Student Health: Sexual Health page also offers links to the Get Yourself Tested campaign, help for sexual-assault survivors, and information on what birth control could be appropriate.
If students were made aware of the opportunities and resources the UI provides, they would be better equipped to take appropriate precautions. Encouraging young adults to get tested along with the recommended vaccinations could help to decrease the alarming number of diseases and infections in this young generation.