Good health means keeping it to yourself
Editorial

For most, college is a time of indulgence ­ partying, drugs and sex. Many of you have already encountered a sexual experience while still in college.

But before you indulge maybe you should take a look at the responsibilities an active sexual life entails. Jumping in the sack with your newest love interest could mean a lot more than a night of good times.

If caution is not exercised, you could end up just another statistic ­ one more college female pregnant, one more male or female dying of AIDS.

Sexually transmitted diseases are usually caused by a virus, bacteria, or fungus that attacks the genital area. STDs cannot survive for long periods of time outside the human body, so transmission by objects such as toilet seats or clothing is rare.

Chlamydia is the most common STD, and though it is not life threatening, it often causes those infected to become sterile. The most serious STDs include AIDS, syphilis, Hepatitis C and gonorrhea. Herpes, chancroid, cold sores and vaginitis are less serious and are rarely found or treated. Although none of these diseases are acquired exclusively through sexual contact, chances of infection outside of sexual transmission are slim.

During World War II, STDs became more prevalent in the United States and Europe. Then again during the 1960s, STD cases rose with the introduction of oral contraceptives. While birth control pills prevent pregnancy, they do nothing to stop the spread of STDs. As the pill became more widely used, men and women began having more sexual partners, leading to the spread of disease.

The 1980s brought some cures in the form of antibiotics. However, some STDs were unaffected by these remedies. Herpes and hepatitis outbreaks are likely to recur throughout life. However, there are treatments, which decrease symptoms and shorten the course of the recurrences.

In 1982, scientists discovered the now infamous HIV, which leads to AIDS, a disease that almost always means certain death for its victims.

Any sexually active person runs the risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted disease, and the more sexual partners a person has, the higher the risk. Abstinence is the best way to prevent transmitting an STD. But, fidelity between two sexual partners may also keep the pair free of disease.

Other than abstinence or having a single partner for life, the best answer is to practice safe sex. Safe sex occurs when no bodily fluid is exchanged. The condom is the most common barrier method of contraceptive. Although condoms do not always provide complete protection, they are 88 percent effective. Used correctly, they are 98-99 percent effective.

The two most widely used forms of contraception are sterilization and the birth control pill. However, neither of these offers protection against STDs. People with multiple sexual partners should frequently be tested for STDs.

The choice between safe sex and keeping the mood from dying may be the same as the choice between life and death. Experiencing college life is rewarding, however it also requires accountability.