According to the findings, sexually transmitted diseases among college learners in the U.S. is 18.20% (95%CI,15.40,20.80).

Findings

According to the findings, sexually transmitted diseases among college learners in the U.S. is 18.20% (95%CI,15.40,20.80). Numerous sexual affiliates in life, not using protection during sexual contact, preceding history of sexually transmitted diseases, and poor knowledge of sexually transmitted disease was greatly associated with sexually transmitted diseases. Among the total number of learners who took part in the study, the feedback rate was 95%. The median age of those who took part happened to be 21 years. Approximately 61.1% of partakers always had sexual act, of which 73.5% had sexual contact in the past 1 year. Additionally, 42.8% of the undergraduates began sexual actions after they joined the college. Among the sexually active students, 23.6% began their first sex before attaining 18 years old. Nearly 60% of students drank alcohol, 75.5% seen or read pornography, 6.1% smoked shisha, and 11.6% chewed khat.

Another finding is that strong social motives greatly contributed to the likelihood of taking part in risky sexual behaviors. Furthermore, there was a momentous interaction, such that the association between drinking and risky sex depends on enhancement motives. In a total number of 189 students included in the study, fifty-eight (30.7%) of them were males. They all gave a 100% response rate. Another thing is that the distribution of the student’s appeared uniform across the Texas college between 22.2% and 27.5%. About 1 in 4 college learners have sexually transmitted diseases. Adolescents aged 15-24 years old are accountable for more than half of new sexually transmitted diseases diagnosed yearly, though they represent just 25% of the sexually active population. The chlamydia prevalence among the undergraduates was 9.7%. Those below the age of 20 years were 66% more possibly to be infected than those older learners. Adolescent female undergraduates were 92% more probable to be infected than were older female students. From the total number of students suspected of the STDS, 28 of them got the infection by one or more of the three etiologies. The prevalence of T. pallidum, N. gonorrhoeae, and T. vaginalis was 3.7% (7/189), 7.4% (14/189), and 4.8% (9/189), respectively.

The virus was established to be a causative aspect for the sexually transmitted infection followed by bacteria and fungi. Having numerous sexual partners and unprotected sex is well-thought-out as a predisposing factor for sexually transmitted diseases. Other factors include alcohol and drug abuse, sex during menstruation, and premarital sex (Collado et al., 2017). The main modes of transmission of the STDs to students include infected needles/drugs, not using condoms, and sex with multiple partners. Other factors that the students acknowledged include deep kissing, sharing towels, and using public toilets. Around half (46.6%) of female learners were identified to be diseased. In the past 12 months, vaginal discharge and genital ulcers were the most predominant infections reported by 55.9% and 43.6 of the female and male learners who had signs and symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases, respectively.

Lastly, according to the findings, numerous teenagers consider themselves well-informed about STD, but the study indicates a lack of information about testing options, asymptomatic illness, and the connection between STDs and fertility problems. Adolescents frequently fail to understand the signs of sexually transmitted diseases; either thinking symptoms will clear with time or attempting to use over-the-counter remedies. A lot of young individuals misperceive their susceptibility to infection, which can impact their decisions around sexual behavior. Humiliation about the need for testing is a great barricade for numerous students.

Discussion

There is a rise in the number of college students who engage in sexual contact before marriage in the United States. Deeds associated with augmented risk for getting sexually transmitted diseases include age at first intercourse, negligent condom use, increased experimentation with drugs and alcohol, the frequency of sexual activity, unselective recruitment of sexual partners. The toughest decisions to adhere to condom use are when drug and alcohol usage is involved. A student would, as an alternative, forego condom use for the sake of increased pleasure and the thinking that the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection is very low. The influence of alcohol and substance usage motivates most college students in the U.S. to engage in risky sexual activities. Current research implies a connection between alcohol use and alcohol-related aftermaths. There is a marginally significant main impact of alcohol use among college students on risky sex. The alcohol level might just play a role when students are drinking for a particular purpose, for instance, to gain peer approval or cope with negative emotions.

Sexually transmitted diseases disproportionately negatively impact college students and have a possibility to result in severe wellbeing consequences. Correct information concerning STDs can play a significant part in STD prevention. The previous quantitative study has established that college students’ knowledge concerning sexually transmitted diseases is insufficient. The common STDs which are commonly transmitted include chancroid, gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydial infections, which can be healed. In contrast, other such as genital herpes, HIV, and hepatitis B infection cannot be cured but can be modified with the available medications. College students at the age of 16-24 years are at high risk of contracting these infections than grown-up adults due to their risky day-to-day activities. Many of them stay away from their relatives for a long duration of time when they take up higher education. They either stay in hostels whereby they encounter people from different socio-cultural backgrounds. As a result, these students are more likely to practice unprotected sex or even have numerous sexual partners. Furthermore, they might feel difficult to approach the clinical amenities where appropriate information concerning sexual health is available. When one acquires the STDs and is not treated adequately, it results in several complications such as malignancies, perinatal, infertility, neonatal morbidities, and urethral stricture. Both ulcerative and nonulcerative sexual transmitted diseases enhance the spread of HIV/AIDS.

The young age of college students in the United States that is considered a transition period from childhood to adulthood is when sexual behavior and decisions that affect future life are usually being shaped. Numerous young individuals at higher education learning institutions are sexually active and negatively impacted by early and unprotected sexual activities because they engage in such activities without thinking of the outcomes. Furthermore, in several cases, early sexual intercourse has been experienced against the will and enforced. In most cases, young individuals in the United States experienced their first sexual experience before attaining 18 years old and are confronted with connected risks as they do not have adequate knowledge concerning STDs and HIV/AIDS. Some students asserted that they benefited from the internet sources for information. The mass media has been found to be an important source of information to college students (Collado et al., 2017). In some instances, internet use has been a contributory factor that leads to the engagement of risky sensual behaviors. Some end up accessing bad content that corrupt their morals from the internet sources, such as pornographic content.

Students who took part in the study were usually found to know how to transmit sexually transmitted diseases but less informed about the symptoms. More students are informed but not concerned about learning more about the symptoms. The correct and consistent usage of condoms is of great importance in preventing sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV (Habel et al., 2018). There is evidence in the recent studies indicating a relationship between decreasing occurrence of sexually transmitted diseases and increasing safer sex behavior in college students.

Conclusion

It is concluded that STD is a wellbeing issue that negatively impacts several college students. Teenagers and young adults in colleges in the U.S. are at high risk for sexually transmitted infections. Drinking, engaging in risky sexual activities, peer pressure, and lack of information are some of the contributory elements that contribute to its prevalence. Providers have an obligation to truly manage these diseases to prevent medicinal problems and the spread of STDs. Sexually transmitted diseases rank as one of the most significant wellbeing issues for the students, particularly college ones. They tend to involve themselves in sexual activities at younger ages. Information is an important precursor of sexual risk reduction. However, it is concluded that college students do not have enough level of knowledge concerning STDs, although they are sexually active (Ingram et al., 2019). For example, interventions, such as assessing the current status of sexuality education in colleges, reinforcing the connection between STDs and HIV/AIDS, and arranging seminars and public talks focusing on STDs prevention education, are required to contribute to the awareness.

Sexually transmitted diseases are turning out to be major concerns with college students. According to research by the Center for Disease Control, more than half of college learners have had sex with five or more affiliates in their lifetime. More young individuals continue to value sex increasingly. In contemporary times, individuals do not consider diseases that can be passed through an unprotected sexual act. Back in the days, sex used to be something more treasured and sacred. Nowadays, it is just becoming an act of content, physical needs, and wants. Approximately 70% of college students are or have sexually active (Ingram et al., 2019). Some students believe that sex is a sweet and beautiful thing, and they do not have to be married to have sex. As a result, they engage in sex uncontrollably with multiple partners. The morals at a young age have really changed. A lot of this has to do with information that is poorly distributed in colleges. No students desire to worry about STDs, so they do not really talk about it and educate one another on this matter. Even though college students should be knowledgeable of this problem, more significantly, it ought to be more conscious among them.

Adolescents and young adults in colleges engage in risky behaviors, such as problematic and risky internet use, unprotected sexual intercourse, sexting, and illegal substance use, leading them to take part in high-risk sexual behaviors. It is a reality that 25% of college students have a sexually transmitted disease. Yearly, 16 to 25 years young adults account for more than half of new sexually transmitted infections. STDs are usually transmitted through sexual doings, mostly oral sex, virginal intercourse, and anal sex.

The prevalence of STDs is higher among college learners. Numerous sexual partners, a previous history of sexually transmitted infections, poor knowledge of sexually transmitted infections, and not using condoms during sexual intercourse were found to be associated with the infections. Obstacles to effective sexual transmitted disease prevention include social, biological, and structural factors. One of the main barriers of this nation’s disinclination to confront matters concerning STDs openly include failure to identify and talk about sex and sexuality openly. As a result, it hinders sexually transmitted disease education programs, education and counseling activities of clinicians, open communication between parents and their children, community activism for STDs, and behavioral research. An operative national system for sexual transmitted diseases prevention presently is not much operational and as a result, STDs are on a sever health burden in the United States. Numerous elements of an effective system requires to be reformed and enhanced through innovative and closer collaborations.

Recommendation

A new social standard of healthy sexual actions should be the foundation for the long-term prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. It is because, in one way or another, all involvements to prevent STDs are partly reliant on, and must be incorporated with, good behaviors. In order for the societal standards concerning sexual behavior among college students to change, access to information and open discussion concerning sexual behaviors, their wellbeing outcomes, and methods for protecting against STDs must happen. There ought to be a momentous state operation to foster social change among college students towards a new norm of good sexual behaviors is essential. A self-governing entity is required to support a social norm of healthy sexual behavior for the reason that, according to experience with past initiatives, limits on regime agencies concerning public edification programs linked to sex are predominantly problematic.

An excellent way to prevent college students from getting STDs is to advise them to avoid sexual contact with multiple partners. They should abstain from sex, or if it is necessary, then they ought to use condom protection or other safety measures. Some of the recommendations to aid reduce the risk of acquiring STDs include using a male latex or female polyurethane condom, even for oral sex, having a mutually monogamous sexual relationship with an uninfected partner reducing the chance of HIV infections by preventing and controlling other STDs (Ingram et al., 2019). To avoid getting sexually transmitted diseases, it is necessary to always avoid sex with any person who has genital sores, discharge, a rash, or other signs. Unprotected safe is only safer when two partners have been tested, and they know themselves for at least six months. The testing and treatment of sexual cohorts are significant in preventing the spread of STDs, preventing medicinal complications of asymptomatic infections, and decreasing the reinfection rate.  

Lack of awareness concerning sexually transmitted diseases and misunderstanding of individual risk and consequences are major barriers to healthy sexual behaviors. Particularly among college students. It is essential to have increased awareness regarding STDs that should result in individual motivation to prevent the infection (Habel et al., 2018). Another thing that is required is a national operation to upsurge public health consciousness. Opening and strengthening reproductive wellbeing centers in the colleges, providing information on accessing condoms, popularizing sexual and reproductive health information, and education, mainly on STD modes of transmission and prevention, is recommended to reduce sexually transmitted infections. It is necessary to be healthy and to keep safe from sexually transmitted diseases. The only way to prevent STDs by college students in America is by practicing obstinance. Or else, there are going to be a number of risks of contracting an STD. Another thing is that health care professionals need to show compassion and professionalism when working with college students. It is good to take time to understand their concerns and show empathy that can aid them to feel more confident and in control about issues connected to their sexual health.

Students should be recommended to use a latex condom each time they have sex. If one uses a lubricant, it should be water-based. The condom should be used for the whole sex act. Other measures include avoiding sharing towels or underclothing, getting a vaccination for Hepatitis B, and getting tested for HIV (Folasayo et al., 2017). Colleges should also ensure access to and quality of essential clinical services for STD, develop strong leadership, strengthen investment, and improve information systems for STD prevention, and design and implement crucial STD-related services in innovative ways for college students. 

References

Ingram, L. A., Macauda, M., Lauckner, C., & Robillard, A. (2019). Sexual behaviors, mobile technology use, and sexting among college students in the American South. American journal of health promotion, 33(1), 87-96.

Collado, A., Johnson, P. S., Loya, J. M., Johnson, M. W., & Yi, R. (2017). Discounting of condom-protected sex as a measure of high risk for sexually transmitted infection among college students. Archives of sexual behavior, 46(7), 2187-2195.

Folasayo, A. T., Oluwasegun, A. J., Samsudin, S., Saudi, S. N. S., Osman, M., & Hamat, R. A. (2017). Assessing the knowledge level, attitudes, risky behaviors, and preventive practices on sexually transmitted diseases among university students as future healthcare providers in the central zone of Malaysia: a cross-sectional study. International journal of environmental research and public health, 14(2), 159.

Habel, M. A., Brookmeyer, K. A., Oliver-Veronesi, R., & Haffner, M. M. (2018). Creating innovative sexually transmitted infection testing options for university students: the impact of an STI self-testing program. Sexually transmitted diseases, 45(4), 272.