Spring Break
Do It For Your Health: Free STD Testing
Anna Blaise
Issue date: 11/5/07 Section: News
In order to encourage students to be tested and practice sexual health, Student Health Services is sponsoring a free STD Testing on Nov. 6, at 10:30 a.m. in the Student Union Ball Room.
The testing, which will be performed by the Connecticut Department of Health, will be done for gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis.
Patricia Moriarty, a family nurse at the Women's Clinic said the reason the testing is being done is because chlamydia is the second most common STD among college students. Students are not aware of having the disease because most of the time there are no symptoms present, according to Moriarty.
"Chlamydia is the second most common STD," she said. "HPV is the first one. Chlamydia and gonorrhea are very common among the college groups because a lot of times there are no symptoms. And the rate for syphilis is on the rise, so there is a push to test for it."
According to records from the Connecticut Department of Public Health, 64 cases of syphilis were reported in 2006 and 55 of those cases were reported among men having homosexual intercourse. As for gonorrhea, 2,611 cases were reported in 2006 and among those, 55 percent were reported among 10 to 24 year olds. Fifty-eight percent were females. For chlamydia, 10,950 cases were reported in 2006 and 70 percent of them were among 10-to-24 year olds and 75 percent were diagnosed in females.
Heidi Jenkins, the STD control director for the Department of Public Health said people are often not aware that they have an STD and that people who go for STD testing are usually scared and embarrassed. Therefore, to make it easier for the community, the Public Health Department conducts free testing.
"It's definitely scary for people to get tested," she said. "And since we have a high rate for chlamydia, if we come out and serve [the community], we tend to have a better turn out when we come out onsite. And everyone is happy."
Jenkins also said that the high risk population for STD is anyone under the age of 25, anyone who doesn't use condoms consistently and anyone who has had an STD before. It is found that one of three college students has an STD, Jenkins said.
The testing, which will be performed by the Connecticut Department of Health, will be done for gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis.
Patricia Moriarty, a family nurse at the Women's Clinic said the reason the testing is being done is because chlamydia is the second most common STD among college students. Students are not aware of having the disease because most of the time there are no symptoms present, according to Moriarty.
"Chlamydia is the second most common STD," she said. "HPV is the first one. Chlamydia and gonorrhea are very common among the college groups because a lot of times there are no symptoms. And the rate for syphilis is on the rise, so there is a push to test for it."
According to records from the Connecticut Department of Public Health, 64 cases of syphilis were reported in 2006 and 55 of those cases were reported among men having homosexual intercourse. As for gonorrhea, 2,611 cases were reported in 2006 and among those, 55 percent were reported among 10 to 24 year olds. Fifty-eight percent were females. For chlamydia, 10,950 cases were reported in 2006 and 70 percent of them were among 10-to-24 year olds and 75 percent were diagnosed in females.
Heidi Jenkins, the STD control director for the Department of Public Health said people are often not aware that they have an STD and that people who go for STD testing are usually scared and embarrassed. Therefore, to make it easier for the community, the Public Health Department conducts free testing.
"It's definitely scary for people to get tested," she said. "And since we have a high rate for chlamydia, if we come out and serve [the community], we tend to have a better turn out when we come out onsite. And everyone is happy."
Jenkins also said that the high risk population for STD is anyone under the age of 25, anyone who doesn't use condoms consistently and anyone who has had an STD before. It is found that one of three college students has an STD, Jenkins said.
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Std
posted 12/14/07 @ 5:56 AM EST
It is very important to get tested for these dangerous diseases before you spread them on to other people. Unfortunately people don't realize this and continue to not help themselves and there community. (Continued…)
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