Section B · Page 2
The University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, March 3, 1999
Sexual health at risk during spring break
By Lisa Stevens John Special to the Kansan
Spring break may be a time for leaving cares at home, but it's not a time for being careless — especially when it comes to sex.
Henry Buck, physician and coordinator of the gynecology department at Watkins Memorial Health Center, said there seemed to be a correlation between sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and the activities that occurred during spring break.
"There's a greater chance of exposure during spring break because of the environment, which is frequently laced with alcohol in one form or another." Buck said. "The use of alcohol and STDs usually go together hand in hand."
Randall Rock, physician and chief of staff of Watkins, agreed. Sometimes, there are cures for the STDs. he said.
"However, there are many infectious diseases for which the price includes lifelong inconveniences of recurrent outbreaks." Rock added.
Other than avoiding the risk by abstaining from sex, there is still one standby protection — the condom. Deb Howes, health educator at Watkins, said statistics showed condoms prevented some STDs about 94 percent of the time.
Unfortunately, the condom is not as reliable as most people think. Its effectiveness depends on appropriate use and the type of infections to which the person is exposed.
Buck said, "They're led to believe if they use a condom everything's going to be OK, and that just isn't the case."
Buck said the four most common STDs in the collegeage population were HPV, or human papilloma virus, which could cause genital warts and cervical disease; chlamydia; herpes and molluscan contagiosum.
"Of these, only chlamydia is spread by bodily fluids, so use of a condom may be helpful in preventing this." Buck said.
The other three are spread by physical contact, he said.
"You don't even have to have intercourse to pick them up," Buck said. "The condom is much less than satisfactory because it doesn't cover everything that is exposed."
Even if someone does contract an STD, it takes a while for symptoms to develop.
"Chlamydia takes about two weeks, HPV usually takes three months or more, and herpes takes a couple of weeks on average," Buck said.
Another STD with delayed symptoms is HIV, which Buck said was rarer in the college-age population.
"The rate of HIV is about one in 500." Buck said. "According to 1997 statistics, if you're looking at chlamydia and HPV, the incidence is 46 per 400. So they're 46 times more likely to get chlamydia or HPV than HIV." Buck said.
It's good to be aware of the hazards of sex. Buck said.
"The figures show that approximately 80 percent of college students are sexually active," Buck said. "There are some who have had only one partner and there are some who have had 20. Some people have attempted to be careful, and some haven't."
Overall, common sense at all times is the best disease prevention. Rock said.
"HIV, the HPV virus and other sexually transmitted diseases do not take a spring break," Rock said. "In general, the precautions you use at home should be observed away from home. The limits and standards you would set for yourself should not vary significantly depending on your location."
PROTECTION
While urging students to use caution during the break,
To prevent unwanted pregnancies or diseases during spring break, students may want to consider contraception. Some methods are more effective than others. This information was taken from www.fda.gov/dac/features/1997/babyabt.html. *Mala Condon* - Besides
Male condom - destabilizes abstinence, latex condoms are the best protection against sexually transmitted diseases. Condoms are estimated to be an effective method of birth control 88
percent of the time.
■ Female Condom — This may give some protection against sexually transmitted diseases, but it is not as effective as latex condoms.
Female condoms are estimated to be an effective method of birth control 79 percent of the time.
Diaphragm with spermicide
— Diaphragms protect against cervical infections, and spermicide may give some protection against chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Diaphragms are estimated to be an effective method of birth control R2 percent of the time.
Cervical cap with spermicide — The spermicide may give some protection against chlamydia and gonorrhea. Cervical caps are estimated to be an effective method of birth control 64 to 82 percent of the time.
Rock said that probably most of them would return to school healthy.
"My guess is that if you survey all 25,000 students, you will find a silent majority that doesn't significantly increase their at-risk behavior during this time." Rock said. "My best advice is to look at spring break as a gift and invest the wisely."
Professors have plans to relax and work
—Edited by Darrin Peschka
Faculty will catch up while pupils are gone
So, where are you going for spring break?
By Meghan Bainum Special to the Korea
College students hear that question many times between the beginning of the spring semester and that magical week in March when school grinds to a halt.
What most students don't consider is
that they are not the only part of KU affected by spring break. Contrary to popular opinion, professors don't freeze in place at the front of the classroom waiting for the moment students return to spring that pop quiz. Nor do they spend all week in Watson Library searching for arcane questions to put on students' finals.
"Professors probably need a break more than students do," said Dennis Dailey, professor of social welfare.
Makcolm Gibson, associate professor of journalism, plans to visit a friend at Oklahoma State University and take a breather from the stress of classes. Photo by Mike Daugherty/KANSAN
said he thought professors definitely needed a break.
Jeff Folger, Topeka junior, said, he thought students needed a break more than professors.
Most students have jobs and work, he said, while professors just have their work.
Regardless of who is most in need of time off, professors choose any number of ways to spend their week away from the daily grind of classes and responsibilities.
Malcolm Gibson, assistant professor of journalism, plans to visit a friend at Oklahoma State University and take a breather from classes.
Mark Holmberg, assistant professor of music theory said, "I personally am just going to stay in Lawrence. I'm going to clean out the garage, read a couple of books and do my income taxes. Spring break is my quiet time."
"I will maybe take a two or three-day trip somewhere to get out of town. Then I'm helping to run a meeting here of other chemistry teachers for all the colleges in Kansas," Everett said.
He said the meeting happened once a year, and the location changed each year. This year it happens to be the University's turn to host the meeting, he said.
As with students, professors' ideal spring break plans are sometimes different than reality.
David Holmes, professor of psychology,
said he saw spring break as an opportunity
for uninterrupted work — but his dream
vacation would be much different.
"If I could go anywhere, there is an island down in the British Virgins — Virgin Gorda." Holmes said.
He said that he would sail there.
"That is a great island to sail from because it is the last island in the chain, and there is nothing between you and France." he said.
But Holmes said he wouldn't want to be away from work very long.
"I'd take my notebook computer with me and work while I was there anyway," he said.
If students aren't able to picture their sylabus-silving calculus professor partying on Padre Island, Texas, they can picture professors at home enjoying the break
Jackyn Naster, Leawood freshman, said,
"I bet they catch up on whatever they need
to get caught up on then chill, lay around
and not do a thing. That's what I would do
if I was a professor."
— Edited by Chris Fickett
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