Investigating the timeless susceptibility of undergraduate college students for contracting and transmitting sexually transmitted infections: A historical analysis

Abstract

National rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are at an all time high and college aged undergraduate students continue to contract and transmit them at a rate disproportionally higher than any other demographic group. The timeless causes of this health disparity date back to the 1990s, and range from factors as simple as condom usage and number of sexual partners to more complex factors such as levels of sexual self-efficacy and various obstacles to obtaining screening and testing. The effects of these factors are clear and negatively contribute to both the growing STI and HIV/AIDS epidemics. This historical analysis will review literature from the 1990s, early 2000s and present day, to discuss the relevance of critically analyzing the history of eerily similar STI trends over the past decades for devising the necessary innovative solutions required for successful resolution of increased rates of STIs among undergraduate college students.