Ohio University isn't providing sexual health services, from dental dams and condoms to testing for sexually transmitted infections, as well as it has during the past, according to the Trojan Sexual Health Report Card.
Ohio University fell 10 spots in the fifth annual Trojan Sexual Health Report Card, dropping to 73 of the 141 major colleges and universities analyzed.
The annual test ranks schools in 13 categories pertaining to sexual health resources available on campuses, including student opinion of the health center, HIV and STI testing, contraception availability and campus outreach.
The rankings are based on data from health centers and student polls analyzed by Sperling's BestPlaces, an independent research firm, according to the report.
STI and HIV Testing
Sexual health is an area we are definitely working on improving
said Dr. Lee Ann Conard, lead physician at Ohio University Campus Care at Hudson Health Center who specializes in adolescent and young adult health.
For STI testing at Hudson, males can take a urine test, and women can take a vaginal self-swab, a better and recently implemented test, said Conard. Conard is working to get a finger prick test and an oral test, which would give students results within minutes. Students can pay out-of-pocket or through insurance; the price is about $30, she said.
Off-campus, few services are available because of Ohio University's relatively isolated location, said Stephanie Craddock, an OU alumna who is the community adviser for Voices of Planned Parenthood at OU, Ohio State University, Otterbein and Bowling Green State University.
The main off-campus option is Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Ohio, located at 1005 East State Street. According to itsyoursexlife.com, it offers testing, including the quick oral exam, by appointment.
Contraception
In Hudson, the pharmacy offers a list of prices for all its birth control pills at the door. All contraception is billed to the student's account, and all require a prescription except for Plan B, which costs $28, said Pharmacist Daniel Hudson.
Plan B is available at Hudson even after the pharmacy closes for students who need it, Conard said.
Terry Koons, associate director of health promotion at OU, oversees the student groups POWER and GAMMA, which cover sexual health in a peer setting rather than a professional one.
Our philosophy is we don't just hand out condoms. People need to know how to use them correctly Koons said.
After watching the demonstration offered by POWER showing the 13 steps to properly use condoms, students become Latex League Members. Students can then get free lubricant, buy condoms for 25 cents and buy other latex products for less than a dollar from Health Promotions at 339 Baker University Center.
Contraception is available at the Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Ohio and at eight pharmacies in the Athens area. Emergency contraception is available on a walk-in basis at Planned Parenthood, according to plannedparenthood.org.
Services at Planned Parenthood are available on a sliding scale according to household income, said Riley Yuhas, a senior and president of Voices of Planned Parenthood (VOX) at OU, a newly reformed group that spreads the word about sexual healthy services available in Athens.
VOX hands out free condoms at tables in Baker during the week and works to inform students about sexual health services in Athens, said Yuhas, who is studying informational graphics and publication design.
The biggest thing is people don't know what is available Yuhas said. College students don't seek out information as much ... but all of our information is by students for students.
Why OU Slid in THE Rankings
Last year, Hudson was understaffed and management was in the midst of shifting, which could be the cause of OU's ranking drop, Conard said.
Under the new management of the OU College of Osteopathic Medicine and the University Medical Associates, changes are being made to improve hours, decrease wait times and update the website - all areas graded by the report, said OU Campus Care Director Tonya Burdette.
The drop in rankings could be attributed to campus funding and an inability to inform all of the students about services, Yuhas said.
A lot of universities did expansion work. OU didn't really expand; they stayed the same
said Lisa G. Perks, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southeast Ohio. There is more demand than (Planned Parenthood) can finance ... I think the community really needs to pull together to get more resources.
Sexual health is a huge problem on college campuses, where students aren't getting tested even though the number one symptom of sexually transmitted diseases is no symptoms, Craddock said. According to itsyoursexlife.com, 50 percent of sexually active young people will contract an STD by age 25.
Statistics indicate that only 25 percent of women ages 15 to 25 are getting tested for Chlamydia, according to the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, even though the Center for Disease Control recommends that women in that age range get tested every six months, Conard said.
People think 'Oh
it can't happen to me
' Conard said.
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Culture
Jessica Cadle
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