Up 55 spots from last year, Ohio University placed 18th on the 6th annual Trojan Sexual Health Report Card.
The report card ranks more than 140 schools throughout the country based on student questionnaires.
Terry Koons, Associate Director for the Campus Involvement Center for Health Promotion, attributed the increased ranking to campus outreach and peer education.
Koons said the campus’ biggest asset is the “latexology” program, which educates students on safe sex and sells condoms for 25 cents each.
“We’re trying to make people more aware that a condom is only a quarter, and you shouldn’t go without,” Koons said.
Koons added that Hudson Health Center recently increased hours and walk-in appointments could also be a contributing factor to the higher rankings.
“We do have expanded hours now over at the health center, and they really have been promoting their HIV testing a lot,” Koons said.
Koons said free confidential testing is available through Hudson Health Center and the Ohio University Campus Care on the first floor of Hudson.
Mary Kate Gallagher, a peer health educator at Power Gamma and a junior studying community health, said she thinks the ranking could largely be attributed to Campus Care.
“In the past couple years, it’s been Hudson (offering sexual health assistance) and now it’s Campus Care,” Gallagher said. “(Campus Care) has less of a wait time, which increases patient access.”
Nicole Robertson, also a peer health educator at Power Gamma and a junior studying environmental health science said another strength that could place OU higher in future rankings is the Women’s Center Survivor Advocacy Program.
“I think if our sexual assault recovery (program) was more well-known, we probably would have ranked higher,” Robertson said. “I know not too many people know too much about that.”
Bert Sperling, lead researcher for the Trojan Sexual Health Report Card, said the criteria used to determine the top schools are sent to students in the form of questionnaires via email, fax or post.
“What we’re looking for are the services and the resources available, and the cost of those services to students,” Sperling said. “We also look at the (university’s healthcare) websites while putting ourselves in the position of the students.”
Sperling said schools ranking in the top 10 provide students with the ability to “ask questions and get answers” using an outlet that surpasses general brochures.
He noted that OU rose from its 2010 ranking because it met this criterion, though he could not confirm specifics.
“What I can say about the study is that it’s really getting well-received after six years,” Sperling said. “We’ve done this and the health centers look forward to it to see how they rank year to year, and the students use it to initiate change.”
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