A recent study released as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reported that nearly a quarter of teenage girls are infected with a sexually transmitted disease. The study, which was covered widely by a variety of media outlets, surprised many with the prevalence of four sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in particular: human papillomavirus (HPV), chlamydia, herpes and trichomoniasis.
According to Director of Tufts University Health Service Margaret Higham, STI rates have been on the rise for years. She said the recent study has utilized growing technology to reveal current highs.
"The rate of infection has always been high in teenagers ... Now we're getting better tests," Higham said. She added that the increase in people's number of sexual partners over the past ten years has also led to an increase in the risk associated with sexual activity.
And Tufts is no exception. According to Higham, rates of STIs among Jumbos are consistent with the study's findings.
"I don't find that students at Tufts are well informed about what their risks are. I think there is a terrible lack of accurate education ... I find that most students I speak to about the risks don't understand them," she said.
Higham said that the most important component of STI prevention education is teaching the risks of engaging in sexual activity. In the so-called information age, it is difficult to imagine a generation caught off-guard by seemingly obvious risks. Yet, Higham maintained that such information is not reaching those people who need to hear it.
"I think that education is inadequate. I also think we're in a time when there's growing information about the risks, especially of herpes and HPV, but people don't know much about them," Higham said. "People know a lot about HIV, but they don't know a lot about these infections which are so much more common."
The study found that 18 percent of tested participants were infected with HPV and four percent were infected with chlamydia.
Higham said that the lack of proper education she sees among the young population can spawn false beliefs.
"I think a huge misconception is that if they or a partner has had testing and nothing showed up, they are clean," Higham said. "People need to realize that what causes infections like herpes or HPV cannot be tested for. There is no testing you can do that will tell you if you have something or not; there is no testing your partner can do."
In addition to lack of education, Higham cited youth attitude as a reason why so many people are uninformed about their risks.
"I think in general, young adults tend to think that things won't happen to them. They tend to think, 'That will happen to someone else - someone in a different socioeconomic class, someone in a different part of the world,'" she said.
Higham maintains that the most effective way for students to stay informed about the risks is through other students. "I think the challenge is for students to decide how to best get the message out there. I tend to think that students are the best at reaching students," Higham said.
Two student groups on campus, VOX and Student Health Advisory Board (SHAB), are working to spread information about the risks of STIs and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among Tufts students.
Tufts senior Nicole Bruce, one of VOX's co-chairs, explained her group's role on campus as that of an ally. "VOX's role is to advocate for sexual health and reproductive rights on campus. We try to mobilize students to take action as well as keep them informed about ways to stay healthy. We pride ourselves on making sure people know all their health options, like different methods of birth control, actions to take if you're worried you might be pregnant, where you can get STD testing. We also try to promote dialogue regarding sexual health," she said in an e-mail to the Daily.
Bruce said that in order to become educated about sex, students need to be able to feel more comfortable discussing issues of sexual health as a means of prevention.
"There isn't enough openness surrounding STDs and sexual health, especially with regards to the hook-up culture and sexual activity under the influence of alcohol. At Tufts, everyone would probably benefit from a culture in which they felt comfortable openly asking, 'Have you been tested?' or discussing how far they want to go that night," Bruce said.
SHAB also provides information and resources to students looking for information about STIs. Junior and SHAB Chair Morissa Sobelson said that by distributing written resources, SHAB makes it easier for students to get the information they need.
"Over the past couple years, SHAB has developed a friendly 'FAQ about Sexual Health' guide to help Tufts students know what resources are available to them on and off campus," Sobelson said. "This has been very well-received by students, and we update it and distribute it regularly at events like the annual Sex Fair."
Sobelson explained that being aware of the risks students are taking when engaging in sexual activity is part of being healthy and mature.
"As college students, it's very easy to feel like we are invincible. But STDs and STIs affect people of all backgrounds, including those who don't necessarily consider themselves part of an 'at risk' category. College is ... a time when we all need to realize how very serious and very preventable STDs and STIs are. We need to ensure all students have the knowledge to keep themselves and their partners healthy," Sobelson said.
