The Observer, February 9, 2007
Volume XXXIX, Issue 16
Available student resources promote sex safer at Case
Throughout history, sexual germs of all sorts have plagued humanity. Pandemic levels of gonorrhea prompted the U.S. Navy to close the Storyville district of New Orleans, and many historical figures, including Francisco Goya, John Adams, Ivan the Terrible, and even Al Capone are alleged to have contracted syphilis. The modern college student has even more sexual problems to face, including HIV/AIDS, viruses that cause cancer, and a society that considers sex as taboo as ever.
Fortunately, many resources exist on campus to help students handle the perils and pitfalls of "doing it," all of which include the promise of privacy, which means your parents will never have to find out. These resources can be found through University Health Services and the Center for Women, among many other locations.
Unfortunately for the sexually active college student, abstinence, defined as refraining from sexual activity until marriage, is the only 100 percemt effective way to prevent pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases. According to current U.S. education policy, it is also the only method of birth control allowed to be taught by a school receiving federal funding; these abstinence-only programs have recently come under fire from various organizations, including the American Medical Association, the American Civil Liberties Union, and even Congressional panels.
According to Sonia Chapnick, R.N., Health Educator at University Health Services, many young adults who receive abstinence-only education are likely to delay the onset of sexual activity, but are far less likely to use a condom or other birth control when they do, making them more prone to unwanted pregnancies and STDs. Chapnick does Safer Sex programs, free of charge, for any group on campus. "All they have to do is contact me. I have slides showing what STDs actually look like and my red tackle box with all the contraceptives currently on the market for 'show and tell,'" she says.
If you have the information and now want the goods, various methods of prevention, including condoms, diaphragms, emergency contraception (the "Plan B Pack"), and several versions of hormonal birth control (including "the pill," "the ring," and "the shot") are available at very low cost to students. Condoms are $2 per dozen (less than half the cost in most stores, and conveniently located across from the Veale parking garage), oral contraceptives and Nuva-Rings cost about $10 per month's supply (with discounts for four or more months' worth at once), and the Plan B Pack is $15. Condoms and emergency contraception are available without a prescription, but other forms require an annual exam by a UHS professional. Exams are free of charge to anyone taking at least one credit hour. Appointments or more information can be obtained by calling 216-386-2453. Condoms are also available for free at the Center for Women on the third floor of Thwing.
Of course, sometimes prevention fails; condoms break, the pill doesn't work, or partners are less than honest about their past/current activities. For many students this is where the questions begin. According to Elanor Davidson, M.D., the Director of University Health Services, the most common STDs on Case's campus are genital herpes, genital warts (HPV), and chlamydia. "The viral infections are fairly easy to treat, but there's nothing to permanently eradicate them," Davidson says.
HPV in particular is one of the leading causes of cervical cancer, and is not always stopped by condoms. The recently released HPV vaccine promises to "change, in a very positive way, the natural history of anyone starting sexual activity," said Davidson.
The vaccine, Gardasil, provides immunity to four variants of HPV likely to result in cervical cancer. It is approved for use in women and girls ages 9 to 26, regardless of sexual activity, and consists of a series of three injections over six months. Gardasil is available through UHS, but be aware that it is not cheap, and many insurance companies, including the Case Student Health Plan, are not covering it for college-aged women. Cost of the vaccine ranges from $140 to $189 per injection, depending on the pharmacy used, and does not include the cost to administer the injection or write the prescription in the first place, although the prescriptions and injections are free of charge through UHS.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently stated that everyone ages 13 to 64 should be screened for HIV, something they have recommended in the past, but was not widely adopted. This brings up questions of confidentiality and anonymity for many students.
Katie Hanna, Women's Health Advocate, says that many students don't necessarily understand the difference: "confidential means we won't tell everyone, but it is still reportable to certain authorities, such as the Board of Health. HIV is one of those diseases that is reportable." For this reason, both the Center for Women (which Hanna emphasizes is open to everyone, regardless of gender), and UHS refer those interested in HIV testing to places which can do so anonymously.
Locations include the Free Clinic of Cleveland, and many of the satellite branches of the Metrohealth System. A complete list of locations is available from UHS or the Center for Women. Hanna, as well as the professionals at UHS, is also available to speak with students regarding sex related issue, "I'm a licensed counselor, so anything you say remains confidential," Hannah said.
Though college is a period when students have many questions about many topics, queries about sexual health need not go unanswered; within the Case community there are many resources to help students deal with the down and dirty of getting, well, down and dirty. Sonia Chapnick can be reached at sonia.chapnick@case.edu. Information regarding contraception, STDs, and other pertinent health concerns is also available on the UHS website, http://studentaffairs.case.edu/health.
