Gonorrhea and syphilis rates have risen among students tested at Cal State Long Beach, according to laboratory data from the Health Resource Center.
Last Wednesday, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Mary Ann Takemoto stated during an ASI Senate meeting that sexually transmitted infections have increased on campus.
Takemoto was proposing an increase to the Student Health Service fee to $150 per year instead of the $90 students currently pay.
The rise is in line with U.S. reports. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, three nationally reported STIs have significantly risen in percentage count.
Chlamydia leads in reported cases with 1,400,00, gonorrhea with over 350,000, and syphilis with over 19,000 in 2014.
The amount of reported cases of sexually transmitted diseases in the United States has increased drastically since 2014, the highest in young people aged 15-24, according to the CDC.
Though the uptick was small — syphilis went up by 0.3 percent and gonorrhea by 0.2 percent — these STIs are the most dangerous. The rates of herpes, chlamydia and human papillomavirus fell over the last year.
According to Heidi Girling, coordinator of the student Health Resource Center, the danger comes from gonorrhea’s resistance to antibiotics and the serious outcomes of syphilis when left untreated.
“There are several factors that may be contributing to the increase of STIs on campus,” Dr. Jessica Simpson said.
Simpson is a staff physician at the Student Health Services department.
“ … Both the recent awareness and acceptance of sexual activity, birth control and internet have made sexual interactions more risky,” Simpson said.
The Daily 49er spoke to Girling in search of a more informative foundation concerning STIs.[sidebar title=”Debunking sexually transmitted infection myths:” align=”right” background=”on” border=”all” shadow=”on”]
Truth #1: You cannot test for “everything.” Men cannot be tested for the most common STI: Human Papilloma Virus.
Truth #2: Most people don’t have symptoms when they get an STI and don’t know they have an STI. Which means they are spreading it to their partners unknowingly.
Truth #3: STIs can cause reproductive damage. Untreated chlamydia and gonorrhea can cause infertility for men and women.
– Heidi Girling, coordinator of the student Health Resource Center
[/sidebar]
What are some of the most common STIs?
The most common STIs in the U.S. are HPV (about 50 percent of sexually active people have it), chlamydia and herpes.
How are STIs transmitted?
STIs are transmitted in different ways. Some are transmitted through body fluids (chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV) and some are transmitted through skin-to-skin contact (HPV and herpes). Many STIs have no symptoms, so it is important to get tested.
Can the prevalent STIs on campus be treated?
Chlamydia is curable with antibiotics. Bacterial STIs can be cured with antibiotics (e.g., chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis).
Herpes simplex virus cannot be cured. HPV is also not curable. The viruses cannot be cured, only treated with medications to lessen the severity of the disease or reduce the symptoms. For example, HIV, HSV and HPV are viruses and cannot be cured.
What can students do to protect themselves against STIs?
Use condoms for oral, anal and vaginal sex every time with every sex partner from beginning to end. (Don’t take it off halfway through or start out without a condom.)
Talk to your partner before you have sex with them about getting tested or if they have an STI. Communication with your sex partners is critical to having an honest relationship.
Avoid having sex when drunk or high. Learn about how to have safer sex. Reducing your number of sex partners is also recommended to reduce your risk of getting STIs.
A few dispensaries have been put up in the USU and SRWC, where else can students have access to contraceptives?
Free condoms are also available in the LGBT Resource Center, the Women and Gender Equity Resource Center and the Health Resource Center. In the clinic, we also sell them at our pharmacy for a very reduced price. For example, we sell 10 Lifestyle condoms for about $2. We have other brands as well for a low price such as Trojan Magnums and Kimonos.
Where can students get information about testing and services?
Students can look at our website for more information about our testing services or they can also get more specific STI information at the Centers for Disease Control.The American Social Health Association can also provide further information about STIs and partner communication.
Students are always welcome to come in and talk to a health educator individually if they want more information about STI prevention, safer sex, partner communication or even learn about how to tell their partners if they have an STI. Our health educators are knowledgeable and non-judgmental.