Skip to main content

Casual sex puts you at risk for STD


One in four sexually active people may have an STD (Sexually Transmitted Diseases).

Students across the country embark on many new freedoms when they attend college. Many students chose to become sexually active.

According to the director of student health, Shannon Deal, college students are more at risk for contracting STD's than they think.

"Most people don't understand the types of STDs. Many of them you do not even show symptoms for when you have them," Deal says.

The office of student health documents and is able to treat the two most common STD's: chlamydia and gonorrhea. This month, the office has documented eight people that have had an STD here at UTM.

Between July 2002 and June 2003, the office of student health documented that 134 students had an STD.

But Deal adds that these numbers do not fully represent the total number of students on campus that have contracted an STD. "Many students will go to the health department to get treated. Others may go to their doctor at home," Deal says.

Deal recommends that at risk people get checked for STDs. Deal says that "at risk" is defined as people who are having unprotected sex and people who have multiple sex partners.

But, using conventional protection such as a condom is not always safe. "Chlamydia is a bacterially transmitted disease that can be spread by simply coming in contact with someone's skin," Deal adds. "You do not have to have intercourse to become infected with this disease.

Student health is able to test and provide treatment for chlamydia and gonorrhea for only $5. Pregnancy tests can also be given for $8.

Visits to student health are completely confidential. Students who are under 18 years of age do not have to have parental permission to be tested or treated for STDs. Free condoms are available at Student Health.