Nurse practitioner says venereal disease on the rise at USU
The number of reported cases of some STDs, also known as STIs or venereal diseases, has risen slightly on Utah State’s campus as well as throughout the state and nation.
There has been an increase in the number of genital herpes and HPV cases diagnosed at the health center, as well as a small outbreak of gonorrhea that occurred during the Fall semester, said Mary Orians, family nurse practitioner with student health services.
According to the Utah Department of Health website, the Bear River Health District, which includes Logan, reported the number of gonorrhea cases increased from three in 2008 to six in 2009. 2009’s number is not as high as 2006’s 10-year record of 26 cases. Also, the number of reported HIV cases increased from one in 2008 to two in 2009. The number of reported AIDS cases increased from zero to one in the same year. The number of chlamydia cases has, however, decreased from 190 cases in 2008 to 176 cases in 2009.
Bear River’s figures do not necessarily represent Utah as a whole. The total number of gonorrhea cases in Utah decreased from 477 in 2008 to 341 in 2009. The total number of HIV cases has increased from 106 to 112 and the number of AIDS cases has increased from 66 to 77 reported cases. Cases of Chlamydia, one of the most common STDs among college-age people, have increased from 6,019 in 2008 to 6,152 in 2009.
Utah had one of the lowest case rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea in the United States in 2009. Utah’s case rate of chlamydia was 225 cases per 100,000 residents; compared to the low, 159.7, in New Hampshire and a high of 802.7 in Mississippi. Utah’s case rate in gonorrhea was 12.5 cases per 100,000 residents. Compared to the low, 7.2, in Idaho and the high, 246.4, in Mississippi.
2010 figures are not yet available.
Any increase in the numbers of cases may just be a matter of perception, said Alfredo Novoa, sophomore in psychology and leader of Vox, or Voices for Planned Parenthood, an on-campus advocacy group. He said an increase in the number of cases reported could just mean more people are getting tested.
Dr. Jim Davis, physician and executive director of Student Health Services voiced the same concern. He said some clinics offer periodic free testing, which will lead to an increase in the number of reported STD cases. This increase does not necessarily indicate an increase in promiscuity.
Davis said many students who visit the health center have a number of misconceptions about STDs. Among these misconceptions are that STDs do not exist in a conservative area like Logan, someone cannot get an STD from a single exposure, someone can only get an STD with penetration and that condoms are 100 percent effective at preventing the spread of STDs.
“You can get an STD from any exchange of bodily fluids by any means,” he said.
Orians said some STDs could also be spread from skin-to-skin contact.
Davis said another serious misconception is that if someone recently had a negative teset for an STD, they are completely STD-free. Some STDs, especially HIV, need to incubate in the body for a period of time before they will show up in tests; however, the STD can be spread to other people during that time.
He said bacterial diseases, like chlamydia, are curable, while viral diseases like herpes or HIV are treatable but not currently curable.
Novoa said Vox will focus this semester on prevention education and encouraging students to get tested. He said Planned Parenthood will host a Chocolate Festival fundraiser in February.
Ryan Barfuss, prevention specialist for the student health and wellness center, said 70 percent of students surveyed reported not getting any sexual education from campus organizations.
“I have seen students at health fairs on-campus who thought sample lubricant was some kind of candy and tried to drink it,” Barfuss said.
Student Health Services offers outreach and education programs for interested groups on campus, Davis said. Health Services will also have some programs during Relationships Week in February aimed at educating students on a host of relationship-related topics.
Davies said students who have symptoms of any STDs or think they may have been exposed to an STD should be screened because many STD carriers do not have symptoms. He said some students do not come in because they are concerned their parents will find out.
He said the health center’s policy is 100 percent confidentiality; however, if a student chooses to bill their parent’s insurance, there is a possibility their parents will find out. Davies also said that affordable testing and treatment is available to all students with or without insurance. He said visits are free to students and tests are generally not as expensive as students assume they are. A herpes simplex test is $116 while tests for gonorrhea and chlamydia run between $20 and $30. If students have difficulty with the costs, payment plans are available, he said.
“The worst thing you can do is ignore your symptoms,” Orians said. “There are always options for completely confidential care.”
– rouchelle.brockman@aggiemail.usu.edu