UW-Madison’s Health Services implemented a Sexual Health Clinic in April 2019 in order to provide access to sexual health resources for a wider variety of students.
The primary purpose of the Sexual Health Clinic is to offer UW-Madison students a space for sexually transmitted infection screenings, as well as consultations on methods of prevention.
UHS Interim Medical Director, Dr. G. Patrick Kelly testified to the importance of having a specific space for sexual health-related issues in order for students to feel comfortable.
“It is something that’s not easy to talk about for some people,” Kelly said. “So allowing a venue where students can access this on their own terms and ask questions when they’re ready can be helpful in increasing the number of patients reached.”
STIs are most prevalent among young people, specifically among the collegiate population, according to Dr. Kelly, making sexual health resources vital to the health of UW-Madison students.
More than one-third of students on college campuses utilize sexual health resources if they are available, according to a study done by the Health Education Journal.
Additionally, condom distribution programs are an important means of preventing sexually transmitted infections, according to the study. Yet there is little research done that examines their impact on college campuses.
The study furthered the importance of centering primary health care around sexual health, since the age group most sexually active is college-aged.
“When we think about the things that can affect the health of our students, providing them access to sexual health clinics that are sensitive to their privacy [and] personal education is an important part of providing medical care here,” Kelly said.
A UW-Madison junior who wished to remain anonymous stated the Sexual Health Clinic is the most helpful and efficient entity of UHS. The students requested to remain anonymous due to the stigma that surrounds STIs.
“UHS is very routine but not in a way that makes me feel like I’m not cared about,” anonymous said. “You go in all scared or embarrassed and they just treat you like it’s a routine thing — which it is.”
The Women’s Health Clinic, a separate entity of UHS, offers the same caret the Sexual Health Clinic does. However, it also offers a variety of other services relating to female health.
The Sexual Health Clinic recently began offering self-testing for both chlamydia and gonorrhea, the only STIs that can be tested via swab. Students can come in, swab themselves and leave without having to interact with a physician.
Self-testing is only available to cis-gendered women at UW-Madison, though other clinics around the country offer self-testing to people of all gender identities.
“The first time I was super embarrassed and nervous and made my friends come with me. But then I realized that they treat it like it’s an everyday normal thing, so I was able to feel like it’s a normal thing,” anonymous said.
The number of students that seek STI testing increased tremendously due to the independence of self-testing, according to Dr. Kelly.
“If somebody has questions about STIs, that’s the benefit of us having the Sexual Health Clinic,” Kelly said. “If you have questions, don’t hesitate to come in. We are definitely very happy to answer questions and make sure that students are able to stay healthy and experience this in a more positive manner.”
According to Dr. Kelly and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, all sexually active females under the age of 25 should be screened for STIs annually.
