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Free STD testing will be offered Wednesday

by Rachael Boles
News Reporter

UH wellness groups will offer free testing for sexually transmitted diseases on campus Wednesday as part of Sexual Awareness Month.

At least one in four Americans will contract a STD at some point in their lives, and two-thirds of all such diseases occur among people 25 years of age or younger, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Young adults are at a higher risk of acquiring STDs because they may be more likely to have multiple sexual partners, the CDC said.

"The goal of this program is to promote healthier relationships and better communication. We want students to begin thinking about their own well-being in terms of their relationships as well as in other areas of their lives." Wellness Center Director Gail Gillan said.

According to the CDC, organized collaboration among committed public and private organizations is the key to reducing STDs.

One way campus organizers hope to foster that collaboration is by offering free STD testing.

"We will have an HIV/AIDS mobile unit come to campus and provide free, anonymous testing for sexually transmitted diseases," said Bernadette Weston, president of Cougar PEP, a peer education group assisting the Wellness Center with the awareness activities.

The HIV mobile unit will be in front of the University Center beginning at 10 a.m. Wednesday to test students for HIV, hepatitis C, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia.

In addition to the mobile unit, an information booth with literature about STDs, HIV and safer decision-making will be available, Weston said.

According to the CDC, of the STDs that are diagnosed, only four -- gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia and hepatitis B -- are required to be reported to state health departments and the CDC for statistical purposes. Less than half of adults have been tested for a STD other than HIV.

Gillan said the Wellness Center is a campus-wide prevention and education program aimed at promoting a healthier, safer environment through outreach, education and support to students. For more information, call (713) 743-5455.
 

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