Rice health center offers free STI testing

By Maha Aziz     2/11/14 6:00pm

The Rice University Health Center will provide students with free STI testing for HIV and syphilis from Feb. 10-14 in hopes of increasing awareness about sexual health management, Hanszen College Rice Health Advisor Austin Coe said. He started the project with former Brown College RHA Susy Malca and worked along with the Wellness Center's Student Wellbeing Specialist, Patrick Lukingbeal, and staff at the Health Center.

"One of the biggest things preventing students and people our age from getting tested is all the negative stigma surrounding STIs and testing," Coe, a Hanszen senior said. "Our hope is that, by providing free tests, we'll be able to chip away at some of this stigma so that students won't feel guilty or nervous about managing their health."

According to Malca, a Brown senior, the negative stigma associated with STIs and testing combined with a sentiment among  Rice students that campus is a relatively safe environment can interfere with the awareness of risks.

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"A lot of Rice students feel very safe and comfortable here and, thus, may feel that they are not at risk for STIs," Malca said. "I hope that this program will bring sexual health to the attention of students and help to educate them on risks, prevention and the importance of getting tested."

The National College Health Assessment conducts a survey every three years at Rice. In 2011, survey results revealed that while over 50 percent of students had a sexual partner, only 12 percent had been tested for HIV, and less than 70 percent used a barrier method.

"While these numbers are certainly dated, they illustrate how little awareness some students may have about sexual health and well-being," Coe said. "We think that, by making testing acceptable and by spreading information, we'll be able to improve these numbers."

According to Coe, spots to get a free test are filling up fast due to the limited number of tests available. 

Despite grants from the Student Activities President's Programming fund and the Dr. Bill Wilson Fund at Wiess College, the RHA team could only subsidize 78 tests, but more students may be able to get tested depending on whether some students want one or both tests.

"This year we could only subsidize tests for HIV and syphilis," Coe said. "If the program is successful, however, we're hoping a new group of students will be able to get more funding. It would be fantastic if Rice could provide all students with completely free testing year-round."

Malca said there is almost always hesitation before considering getting tested for STIs, and she hopes this project will make it easier for students to get tested and stay healthy.

"The uncertainty of how to get tested and what getting tested entails is a barrier for many people," Malca said. "This event will help educate students so that, in the future, they will be more proactive about their sexual health and feel more comfortable with the topic and with getting tested."

Lukingbeal said he believes that students should take advantage of the free testing that the health center provides. He thinks the project will increase awareness across campus about the importance of testing for STIs.

"Testing should be a regular thing and a conversation [students] should have with a potential sexual partner," Lukingbeal said. "The more we are open and honest with our communication, the healthier our communities will be."

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