Carrie Laudie | News Editor | @carrielaudie
Sexual health is an important topic and Trojan Brand Condoms is trying to bring attention to the subject among college aged adults with an annual report called the sexual health report card. The study ranks colleges based on the quality of information and services available to students on each campus. UVU was ranked 129 out of 140, one spot up from last year and two spots up from the year before that. The good news is that UVU has consistently been ranked higher than BYU, who has consistently come in last place. Mad props need to be given to BYU for being consistent though.
According to Bert Sperling of Sperling’s BestPlaces, the research firm that collected and analyzed the data for Trojan, some things that contributed to UVU’s low ranking were the quality of the information about sexual health on the website, and that the school doesn’t offer Plan B to students, free or at cost. The UVU website provides information about sexually transmitted diseases and infections, but doesn’t educate students on safe sex practices.
“One thing the study doesn’t mention is the number of students with STDs on campuses. It would be a violation of student rights to record that information,” said Sperling. “Some universities seemed to prefer that sexual activity be between students who are married, preferably to each other. By providing information, some of the universities might feel that they are condoning sexual activity before marriage.”
A common practice at different schools is for students to run a lecture or outreach program about sexual health. This is something else that UVU could improve on to help provide education to students about the importance of having sex in a way where the student doesn’t contract or spread a disease or infection – particularly with students who have had multiple partners, or if their significant other has had multiple partners.
Some things that UVU does provide for students are free condoms and STD and STI testing in the health center for a cost. Rachel, a receptionist in the student health center who declined to give her last name, said that it is cheaper to go to the county health department for testing.
Different universities have come up with creative ways to try and help their students stay safe and healthy while being sexually active. The University of Oregon created an app for their students called SexPositive where they can choose the sexual activity and how they want to do it and it tells them the safest way and the best contraceptives. This app has been licensed by University of Colorado-Boulder and the University of Maryland. Both Oregon State and University of Arizona have successful sex columns in their student paper. This is something that the UVU Review has also started, where students would write in their questions about sex and receive answers.
The purpose of the Trojan campaign has been to try and raise awareness about the effectiveness of condoms, and other contraceptives, but condoms in particular. According to a recent study by Trojan, only 41 percent of college aged adults reported always using a condom. For more information about staying sexually healthy you can go to Trojan’s website at www.FactsAboutCondoms.com.
