The Red and Black

Issue date: 10/10/08 Section: Opinions

KATY JANOUSEK

In response to Wednesday's article, "Trojan ranks University 9th for sex resources," I would like to take this opportunity to let University students know what sexual health services are available at the University Health Center.

According to the National College Health Assessment 2007 survey of University undergraduates, 38.6 percent reported having no sexual partner within the last 12 months.

For students choosing not to be sexually active, abstinence is an excellent method of preventing unintended pregnancies and STI transmission.

However, for the approximately 61 percent of undergraduate students who self-reported being sexually active, various sexual health services are available at the health center.

During the fall and spring semesters, the Health Center is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

The pharmacy is open during those same hours and provides over-the-counter Plan B®, an emergency contraception.

The pharmacy also offers 49 brands of hormonal contraceptives including Yaz®, the Nuvaring®, and the Mirena® intrauterine device.

The pharmacy accepts insurance and can fill prescriptions written by doctors outside of the University Health Center.

The Health Center also offers one of the most advanced methods of rapid Human Immuno-deficiency Virus testing. Students can get an anonymous needle-free test using the OraQuick Advance® mouth swab for $35 cash in the Health Promotion Department. Call 706-542-8690 to schedule an appointment.

The Women's Clinic specializes in serving college women - many of whom have never had an annual gynecological exam.

At the Women's Clinic, students can get annual exams, pap smears, birth control prescriptions, pregnancy tests and STI testing and treatment. Go online or call 706-542-8691 to schedule an appointment.

There are also free condoms at the Health Center. The Health Promotion Department, located on the second floor, offers free safer sex sample kits that include an informational brochure with resources, three different brands of condoms and a sample of water-based lubricant.

Additionally, all presentations by the Sexual Health Coordinator include demonstrations of the proper steps to putting on a condom and how to use other barrier methods for STI protection.

In the Health Promotion Department, there is a specific program just for sexual health.

The Sexual Health Program includes: classroom lectures, residence hall and student organization presentations, campus-wide awareness campaigns (such as Consent is Sexy and National Condom Day), a volunteer student group (Shhuga: Sexual Health Helpers of UGA) and one-on-one educational counseling provided by the Sexual Health Coordinator.

You can contact me with personal questions by calling anonymously (706-542-8690), e-mailing me at kjanousek@uhs.uga.edu, or scheduling an appointment in my office located in the Health Promotion Department.

My areas of specialty include healthy sexual decision making, preventing HIV and other STIs, contraception and LGBTQ issues.

Another top-of-the-line service the health center has is its fantastic Web site. The Sexual Health page alone has more than 2,000 hits per month.

If you have not had a chance to check out the Health Center's Web site, I invite you to do so at www.uhs.uga.edu.

We are proud to be ranked so highly among other institutions for the services we provide and we will strive to maintain a top-10 position.

- Katy Janousek is the Sexual Health Coordinator at the University Health Center.

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