Students at BYU-Idaho do not frequently find themselves talking about sexually transmitted diseases. But the chances that students know someone affected are great, according to national statistics.
In 2003 the state of Idaho had 2,479 reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, some of the most common STDs, according to the Health and Welfare 2003 report.
Students at BYU-I have said that Rexburg really must not have that many STD’s. District 7 Health Department includes Rexburg and is ranked lowest in the state for STDs, reporting 165 cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis in 2003. Madison County, however, only had two reported; both chlamydia.
Alesha Norman, a sophomore from Idaho Falls and a nursing major, said she knows it is lower in the Rexburg area, partly because of such a strict honor code. But she knows they exist.
“I believe STDs are a lot more prevalent in this area than most people think, but it’s still lower than the national average,” Norman said.
“Of course there is going to be more in the Boise area, because they have a higher population,” said Arlene England, a registered nurse at District 7 Health Department. “But we still have low numbers even when considering the population difference.”
England works with people who have STDs. She counsels patients, visits schools and jails to educate about STDs and holds clinics for screenings.
Many people are uneducated about STDs, and patients always have a lot of questions. Some of the most commonly asked questions at the clinics are, how are STDs transmitted? How common are they? What are some common signs and symptoms? Blisters, discharge, painful urination and abdominal pain are all signs of an STD.
England said a common myth about STDs is that one will automatically know if they have contracted it. It’s not true. “The worst thing anyone can do is leave it alone. It leads to worse problems, including infertility,” England said. She encourages everyone to come in for a screening if there is a chance they might have an infection.
“People aren’t aware of how easily they are transmitted,” England said. A recent Public Service Announcement on the radio quizzes listeners on the basics of STDs. It is meant to help educate teenagers and young adults against the dangers of pre-marital sex.
The only true way to safeguard ones self against STDs is abstinence, England said.
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