Oregon State University students might have access to a new and discreet way to take charge in their sexual health beginning winter term.
In an effort to expand access to healthcare and reduce stigma, the Associated Students of Oregon State University is partnering with Student Health Services and the Center for Advocacy, Prevention, and Education to work on rolling out at-home sexual health testing kits for the campus community.
“Leaning on and building relationships with campus partners like Student Health Services and CAPE and their respective bodies, to then be able to make this project happen, this isn’t something that ASOSU could take on alone … it has definitely been a partnership with student focus and backing,” said Audrey Schlotter, president of ASOSU.
Though the project is still in its early stages and exact details could not be provided, the initiative aims to remove concerns about privacy, scheduling challenges and the stigma some students feel when seeking in-person testing.
According to Schlotter, finding a suitable supplier has not been easy. “The goal is to have (the tests) ready for winter term. There have been a couple of setbacks … our original supplier isn’t going to work anymore, so that’s kind of changing things,” Schlotter said.
Not only has finding a suitable supplier been a challenge, but the existing stigma surrounding sexual health testing has also proven to be a hurdle in navigating a way forward in providing accessible testing kits.
“I feel like when you’re talking about sexual health, it’s always going to be a little bit taboo, but the people who are able to help make these changes and bring these services to campus are really excited,” Schlotter said.
Though the ASOSU and partners working on this project are excited and eager to get these kits to students, according to Schlotter, providing at-home STI testing is not very common in the university setting, so trying to pioneer this initiative in a way which is sustainable for OSU and other institutions has largely been a trial and error process.
“These tests, by themselves, if you were to order one it’s like $160 dollars, they’re not cheap and if you don’t have insurance, getting STI testing is so expensive,” Schlotter said. “There’s a financial barrier between students and very real health concerns and being able to get the healthcare that they need.”
“We’re at a place in our society where for a lot of people, it’s scary to go to Student Health Services or your doctor’s office and ask for an STI test. So being able to break down that barrier for students (is the goal). We want to be able to get (students) to the point where you’re able to talk about this, but for right now we just want to make sure that you’re getting the services that you need, and you’re getting the treatment that you need,” Schlotter said.
One challenge in pushing forward with these initiatives is spreading awareness and making it known to students that these healthcare avenues are available.
ASOSU Senator Donovan Morales-Coonrad along with Queer Student Advocacy Coordinator Gabriella Grinbergs, plan on working with one another to form a campaign to spread awareness to the student body about such healthcare endeavors.
Originally Morales-Coonrad set out to bring certain medications to campus such as PrEP, which is a medication that can reduce the risk of contracting HIV. However “through the world’s most confusing back avenues,” Morales-Coonrad found out that PrEP is a medication that is already offered to campus through Student Health.
According to Morales-Coonrad, the lack of promotion in making it known to students about campus resources is an issue in getting students the help they need. “I think that it’s such a great resource to have, to know that your community on campus is able to get access to these (health resources), that may be harder (to get) off campus through the funds that you’re paying,” Morales-Coonrad said.
Morales-Coonrad went on to say that all students have access to these avenues of healthcare without disproportionately reaching the population.
“Maybe after you graduate, you might not be able to keep that prescription … but you’ve had that experience of working through (the system) to get to this (health resource), so now it’s just maybe taking the time to do it one more time when you’re off campus,” Morales-Coonrad said.
Whether these initiatives arrive on campus is something to be seen in the winter and spring terms of this 2024-2025 school year.
