2008 Woodie Awards
UA health center offers STD testing
Leanna Payton
Issue date: 9/8/08 Section: Life & Style
One in four Americans has a sexually transmitted disease. An estimated $13 billion is added to the nation's health care costs each year because of STDs. Nineteen million new infections occur each year, and nearly half of these diseases occur among students ages 15 to 24.
With these astonishing statistics by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, why do the numbers only seem to grow each year and not decrease?
The answer is simple: STD testing.
The only way students know whether they are carrying an STD is by getting tested. While this might be a very uncomfortable situation for students, the Pat Walker Health Center can help those cope with the stressfulness of dealing with such tests.
However, some might be hesitant to go through STD testing because of embarrassment, said graduate student Kalani Holleman.
"I think a lot of people are caught up on not wanting to get tested because of embarrassment and that puts them in even more danger," Holleman said.
But health center officials guarantee confidentiality for every student taking an STD test, said nurse practitioner Dottie Pope.
Not only is STD testing confidential at the health center, it also is affordable.
Many types of insurance cover the costs of STD tests, Pope said.
A Pap smear costs students about $65, and testing for chlamydia and gonorrhea costs $32, according to the health center Web site.
Because STD testing is offered on campus, students visit the health center quite often, almost every week, Pope said.
"[The clinic] is close," said senior Zach Hooper. "People can walk to the health center."
Senior Kathryn Livoni said she thinks it is very important for STD testing to be offered on campus. However, she thinks people do not use the clinic as much as they should, she said.
"A lot of people aren't brave enough to go get tested because they would rather be ignorant so they don't have to admit to their mistake," Livoni said.
With these astonishing statistics by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, why do the numbers only seem to grow each year and not decrease?
The answer is simple: STD testing.
The only way students know whether they are carrying an STD is by getting tested. While this might be a very uncomfortable situation for students, the Pat Walker Health Center can help those cope with the stressfulness of dealing with such tests.
However, some might be hesitant to go through STD testing because of embarrassment, said graduate student Kalani Holleman.
"I think a lot of people are caught up on not wanting to get tested because of embarrassment and that puts them in even more danger," Holleman said.
But health center officials guarantee confidentiality for every student taking an STD test, said nurse practitioner Dottie Pope.
Not only is STD testing confidential at the health center, it also is affordable.
Many types of insurance cover the costs of STD tests, Pope said.
A Pap smear costs students about $65, and testing for chlamydia and gonorrhea costs $32, according to the health center Web site.
Because STD testing is offered on campus, students visit the health center quite often, almost every week, Pope said.
"[The clinic] is close," said senior Zach Hooper. "People can walk to the health center."
Senior Kathryn Livoni said she thinks it is very important for STD testing to be offered on campus. However, she thinks people do not use the clinic as much as they should, she said.
"A lot of people aren't brave enough to go get tested because they would rather be ignorant so they don't have to admit to their mistake," Livoni said.
Be the first to comment on this story