Date Available

4-15-2020

Year of Publication

2020

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Advisor

Dr. Sharon Lock

Committee Member

Dr. Julie Marfell

Co-Director of Graduate Studies

Dr. Joanne Brown

Abstract

A common sexual health concern around the world is sexually transmitted infections (STI). Chlamydia is the most reported sexual health problem. The highest prevalence of chlamydia rates is among ages 15-24, which includes college age students (CDC, 2019). The lack of education provided to students prior to starting college by parents, health care providers and high school sources as well as inaccurate information obtained from peers and erroneous internet sources may lead to misconceptions about STIs and consequently the avoidance of routine screening among this high-risk population (Canan & Jozkowski, 2017).

The purpose of this project was to determine if an educational intervention increased chlamydia screening rates across a college campus. A quasi-experimental design was performed to determine a correlation. After permission was granted to contact Greek chapters on the campus of a large, Midwest university, an educational session was scheduled with a fraternity and a sorority. During this session, a 7-question survey was conducted to assess the students’ knowledge of chlamydia screenings. Following the survey, the educational intervention was conducted for the students regarding the importance of chlamydia screenings. Students were then provided information on where to be tested on campus. The screening rates were trended at University Health Services over four months following the educational intervention to determine if a correlation existed between the educational interventions and screening rates. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics. There was not a statistically significant correlation between educational sessions and chlamydia screening rates. There is a need to connect with college students early in their college careers to educate these at-risk students on the dangers and prevalence of STIs on campus, why routine screenings are vital to good sexual health and to increase student awareness of how and where to get routine STI testing.

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