Awareness and Knowledge of Sexually Transmitted Diseases among College Student
Institutions of higher learning, such as Universities and Colleges, have reported the highest number of cases of sexually transmitted diseases. Cases of infections such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis are some of the most common ones, and the numbers have risen to unprecedented levels for the past half a decade, especially in the United States of America. For instance, in 2018 alone, a total of 2.4 million cases of infections were diagnosed and reported. The rise of STDs incidences has several public health consequences, such as causing infertility and infant death caused by congenital syphilis, among others (Howard, 2019). It is, therefore, essential to have an awareness for the public, especially students in these institutions of higher learning. It is critical to make them aware of the causes and consequences of these sexually transmitted diseases. Also, behavior modification can be used to ensure that the numbers have gone down. However, it is essential to note that a majority of students in these institutions are of age and are sexually active. Therefore, some of the most appropriate measures that could be put in place towards creating awareness are by educating them on proper preventive measures. It is essential to encourage the students to abstain, but if this does not seem to bring results, then practicing safe sex should be encouraged. To conclude, it is thus the initiative of several people in the community to ensure that the young adults in universities and colleges are kept safe. The government, through the public health officers and the administration in schools, should thus actively take part in ensuring that these numbers go down.
Reference
Howard, J. (2019). Three STDs reach all-time highs in the US, new CDC report says. Retrieved 24 November 2019, from https://edition.cnn.com/2019/10/08/health/std-cases-rising-us-study/index.html