With the increase in Sexually Transmitted Diseases and HIV, especially with the concern on Chlamydia and Gonorrhea, the Health Center is reaching to students in order to prevent further cases.
In 2006, the rate of 120.9 diagnoses per 100,000 population is one of the lowest ever recorded, gonorrhea remains the second most commonly reportedSTD in the United States.
The rate is still much higher than the “Healthy People 2010″ target of 19 cases per 100,000 population,” reported AVERT an international AIDS Charity.
Gonorrhea is a treatable infection that can be treated by an antibiotic given by a physician.
But unlike Gonorrhea, Chlamydia is a symptom-less disease, which, if not treated, can affect the victim throughout his or her future.
“In 1996, there were 492,631 reported diagnoses, corresponding to a rate of 190.6 per 100,000 population.
However, by 2006 the annual total had more than doubled to 1,030,911 and the rate per 100,000 had risen to 347.8”, reported AVERT.
Another disease that is rapidly devastating not only the world population but also a large percentage of young people is HIV and AIDS.
“An estimated one million people are currently living with HIV in the United States, with approximately 40,000 new infections occurring each year, and half of all new infections in the United States occur in people 25 years of age or younger,” according to Until There’s a Cure, a national organization dedicated to eradicating HIV/AIDS by raising awareness and funds for a cure.
This is where the Health Center at EC, which is located next to the gym, comes in to play for many students who are seeking a checkup or diagnosis.
The Health Center is available to any registered student at this campus and most of their services run free of charge.
The Health Center here at EC is not only accessible, open five days week, low-cost, but also offers students a service they already pay for, with a $15 mandatory fee, and do not use to the maximum.
The Center offers free STD and HIV testing and the treatment of any of these diseases if tested positive, can take place at EC.
The Health Center offers physicians, nurse practitioners and clinical psychologists who occupy four exam rooms and two labs.
As any hospital or doctor’s office, the Health Center follows the same regulations and laws, which promote confidentiality.
“A lot of students sometimes do not visit the Health Center due to fear of confidentiality, but they need to know that if you come to the Health Center, everything is confidential and is in no way linked to the college or any of your records,” Debbie Conover, Coordinator of Student Health Services said.
Students not only have to take advantage of the resources the campus offers through the Health Center but also students need to stay informed in order to prevent any of these STD’s.
“The Health Center is to keep students out of the emergency room and is designed to keep emergency rooms free for people in dire need of the ER, because we have a commitment to the community at large and we also need to contribute to the community as well,” Conover said.
The STD clinic runs Tuesdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and HIV testing takes place the last Tuesday of every month.
