The Trojan Brand Condoms recently released their annual sexual health report card. The report ranks colleges on how well the schools are providing sexual information and resources on campus. The University of Oregon ranked sixth overall in the top 26. Oregon State University ranked first for the second year in a row.
Schools were examined using GPA-like, 4.o scale score for sexual health. The average score in 2006 was 1.9, but this year the average is a 3.0 GPA. The annual rankings suggest that most campuses are making vast improvements in the field.
The research firm, Sperling’s BestPlaces, uses data from student health center representatives and follow-up secondary research on centers and services provided to rank the 140 schools. Services such as the availability of contraceptives, HIV/STI testing, hours of operation and outreach programs.
Some of the other schools that ranked in the top 26 include: the University of Georgia, Columbia University, Michigan State University and the University of Arizona.
“The UO has improved and come a long way,” Health Center Director of Health Promotion Paula Staight said. “It’s totally awesome that we made in the top 26 and colleges see it as a friendly competition. We are always comparing with other schools and are always looking for improvements at our campus.”
The UO Health Center offers a variety of sexual health services to students. These services include: the SexPositive app, breast and testicular exams, CCare, contraception, emergency contraception, HIV testing, HPV vaccine, latex barriers provided free for both male and female condoms, pregnancy testing/counseling, sexual assault support and STI testing and treatment.
“It’s always education and prevention as our top priority for students,” Staight said. “We look at reaching different students using various methods, like our SexPositive app is something quite unique that we have. We work towards reaching diversity and providing the necessary information and resources for our students.”
One unique service the health center provides is CCare, which is a federal program that can provide free birth control and contraceptives for qualifying men and women. There’s also $15 appointments students can make to meet with a doctor or nurse practitioner to discuss contraceptive methods and to receive prescriptions as well.
“I had a really good experience with the health center when I switched my birth control,” sophomore Madeline Kenny said. “I had a ton of questions for the doctor and she was really awesome at making me feel comfortable. I found out about the free birth control options they offered, and it was super easy to apply. They were very helpful and made it an easy process.”
The health center hopes to implement more outreach programs and sexual health educators for students.
“The services they provide are convenient and they work around our schedules the best they can,” junior Taylor Elliott said. “Our school makes it very easy for students to be safe sexually and without judgement.”
Baylor University, Texas Tech University and the University of New Orleans are a few colleges ranked among the bottom 10 in the report.
UO ranked No. 6 in top 26 best sexually healthy colleges according to Trojan condoms
Yuliana Barrales
November 11, 2015
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