THURSDAY,APRIL4,2002
JAYPLAY
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 3B
Risky spring break behavior can give students STD anxiety
By Donovan Atkinson Jayplay writer
When students return from spring break, many bring back stories of wild parties, uninhibited dancing and adventurous sexual escapades. However, with the passage of time, these stories and memories may charge for the worse as students realize that their behavior may have put them in danger.
They may have contracted a sexually transmitted disease.
Henry Buck, a doctor at the Men's Clinic in Watkins Memorial Health Center, said that he saw an increased patient load just after spring break. Paranoia after reckless sex is a common motivator, but Buck said students should be sure to allow enough time to pass before getting tested.
"Aguy may go to Columbia for a football game on Saturday, and he may go to a bar," said Buck. "He ends up having intercourse that night. He thinks about it all day Sunday, and Monday he decides he should get tested."
But Buck said that many STDs would not show symptoms until about two weeks after infection, and human papillomavirus — one of the most common STDs that affect college students — may not reveal itself for three months.
Charlie, a University of Kansas sophomore who asked to remain anonymous, said he went in for testing to satisfy his own paranoia.
"I never had full-blown intercourse," he said,
"just a few occasions of oral sex. I know that's low-risk. But what's the harm of getting tested against not knowing?"
Buck agreed with Charlie's stance.
"It's important that if someone thinks they have something, they get it checked," he said.
Bob, another sophomore who wished to remain anonymous, reached a decision with his boyfriend that they both should be tested for HIV. Neither was concerned about having the disease, but they felt that being tested would show a commitment to each other.
"It was no different than getting blood drawn for
STD tests performed at Watkins Memorial Health Center
Chlamydia: Swab test for women, urine
Chlamydia: Swab test for women, urine tests for men, Test costs $28 for men and women, $18 if performed as part of a woman's annual check-up.
*Herpes: Visual examination, culture if an ulcer is present. Cost is $25.
Gonorrhea: Urethral test. Cost is $18
Suspicious Blood Test. Cost is $15
HIV/AIDS: Blood test. Cost is $20.
Syphilis; Blood Test. Cost is $15.
a regular physical," said Bob. "The only difference was that they kept it anonymous."
There is no blanket test for STDs, as the testing processes for different diseases vary. The blood work used for some tests is different than what is used for others, while some diseases require a physical exam.
At Watkins, Buck said he would lead a patient through a list of STDs, going over symptoms and the patient's possible risk factors. This helps the patient decide which test or tests fit his or her needs.
Buck said many students were surprised at how ineffective condoms were against diseases that spread through contact, such as herpes or HPV.
"If you wipe off a chalk board and then touch it with your fingers, and then wipe your fingers on your pants, you're still going to get chalk on your pants," Buck said.
Buck said that immune system function was a predominant factor when it came to contracting STDs. He said college students were a susceptible group.
"College students have poor sleep habits, bad eating habits and are under a lot of stress," he said. "They are very vulnerable."
For more information about STDs, see the American College Health Association Web site at www.acha.org.
Contact Atkinson at datkinson@kansan.com. This story was edited by Acknowledg.
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