Sexually transmitted infections clinic coming Feb. 27
If you’re getting the lovin’ without proper protection, you risk adding an unwanted partner to your life. And you might not even know it.
On Feb. 27, students can be tested for sexually-transmitted blood-borne infections (STBBIs) at the students’ association’s (SAMRU’s) first on-campus one-day clinic hosted by Safelink Alberta
The clinic runs Feb. 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in U216A on the main campus and students just need to show up with their provincial health-care card.
Discussing increased vaginal or penile discharge, itching down there, pelvic pain or discomfort while peeing isn’t a whole lot of fun. But let’s face it, having an STI isn’t great for your dating profile, either.
Michelle Zochniak, a registered nurse with MRU’S Wellness Services, says getting regular testing isn’t just about you.
“The problem with STBBIs is a lot of people are asymptomatic,” she says. “If you don’t know if you have an STBBI, you can spread it to other people.”
That is increasingly the case in Alberta where a number of STIs are on the rise. Chlamydia is up nearly 20 per cent in recent years and HIV, which is a chronic disease, has also seen a hike in numbers.
Provincial data from 2022 shows chlamydia is the top diagnosed infection, with more than 16,000 cases identified out of 25,405 STIs diagnosed. The same year saw nearly 5,000 cases of gonorrhea and 3,326 syphilis cases, up slightly from the year prior. The 286 cases of HIV marks a 17.2 per cent hike in numbers.
Of those diagnosed with chlamydia 58.2 per cent were female and more than half aged 15 to 24 years old. Clearly a concern on campus, given the majority of the student population ranges from ages 18 to 25.
Yemi Adeyemi, MRU’s Healthy Campus Team manager, says that is worrisome, especially when many students don’t use condoms or dental dams to protect themselves from being exposed to infection.
The most recent Canadian Campus Wellbeing Survey shows that out of just over 62 per cent who engaged in sexual activity (that’s manual, oral, vaginal or anal sex,) 57.3 per cent checked the boxes “never,” “rarely” or “sometimes” when asked if they use protective barriers.
While it’s not surprising, Adeyemi would like to see it change.
“If 57.3 per cent are not using barriers as often as we want them to, which is always, that is significant. That’s the only way you can protect yourself from an STI, aside from abstinence,” she says.
The upcoming STI testing clinic is not just about sending samples to the lab, Adeyemi says, but also an opportunity to encourage important conversations.
“I think the beauty of this is the instant testing and being able to connect with professionals right there,” she says. “Sexual health is still a hush-hush topic. It’s OK to have conversations and it’s OK to get tested. I see it as empowering to take charge and responsibility of (our) sexual health — to feel safe and confident.”
Zochniak says many people figure you can fix an STI with a dose of antibiotics. But some are resistant to that type of treatment and others left untreated can lead to life-long issues. Chlamydia and gonorrhea, for instance, can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, which can then lead to fertility issues.
“So it can be quite dangerous,” Zochniak says. “We don’t want to scare students, but want to make sure we educate them. I think not wearing condoms is a big one.”
She says a lot of people who rely on other birth control options think they don’t need a condom — not realizing they need it to prevent STIs.
“They say, ‘I have my IUD or birth control pill or use the pull-out method,’ ” she says. “The condom is the only thing that can prevent against a sexually-transmitted infection.”
Zochniak advises students every time they are about to have a new sex partner to get tested before and after and those with a regular partner should be tested about once a year.
The upcoming on-campus testing clinic, which is a collaboration between SAMRU, Wellness Services and in partnership with Safelink Alberta, which will do the testing, is an opportunity Zochniak hopes many students take.
“If there is available testing on the spot that is quick and fast it could also normalize it. Everyone gets tested and everyone is going,” she says.
Francesca Simon, manager, Health Services and the MRU Injury & Prevention Clinic, notes students can access testing year-round in the medical clinic and it’s covered under provincial health care.
She hopes to see a healthy turn out at the on-campus clinic this month where testing will vary but will include everything from a urine test to blood work or swabs.
“It’s really important to co-create collaborations between the students’ association and Wellness Services to promote health and wellness for all students and staff members on campus,” Simon says. “We know from the statistics that certain kinds of blood-borne illness like chlamydia and HIV are little higher in Alberta and on the rise in particular populations.”
Learn more about STIs here and check your symptoms here. Need a condom? Find one (or more) at Wellness Services, in SAMRU’s Peer Support and Pride centres.