By Samantha Manning
Planned Parenthood of Nassau County (PPNC) is sponsoring an open house with a free informational dinner on Thursday, Sept. 27 at the PPNC Hempstead Health Center on Hempstead Turnpike.
The program is open to all college students and members of the community, intending to educate about the correct protection methods to employ when sexually active.
Eligibility for free or discounted physical exams and birth control will be provided by the Family Benefit Program, determined at the dinner according to an individual’s income-not that of their parents. The dinner will also offer free HIV testing appointments, condoms, voter registration and raffle giveaways.
Representatives of the program announced that they plan to teach guests how to remain healthy in all areas of life regardless of sexual activity. Experts will be present to discuss health issues such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and the availability of Gardasil, the cervical cancer vaccine. According to the New York State Department of Health, HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in the United States and a prominent health issue among college students. The presentation will also address breast health and other sexually transmitted diseases.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, as of 2005, 19 million new sexually transmitted infections occur each year. Almost half of the cases were found in young adults, ages 15 to 24.
Rick Sodawsky of the Nevada State Health Division AIDS Program said the highest rate of sexually transmitted diseases is found among children ages 10 to 19 and young adults ages 20 to 24, confirming the steady yet alarming statistic that college students are the number one group affected.
Sodawsky stated that the higher STD rate in young adults is due to younger people being more likely to have a higher number of sexual partners than older age groups and being less likely to use condoms.
College students, and those included in the age bracket, are among the likeliest offenders of practicing unsafe sex and suffering the repercussions.
Those interested in attending the dinner should RSVP by Sept. 22 to 516-750-2656 or e-mail [email protected].
Nassau County Planned Parenthood offers counseling, need-based health care and birth control, pamphlets and informational sessions to college students and members of the community. (www.dbh.nhs.uk)