Salisbury University keeping students safe from STIs

EASTERN SHORE, Md. – Maryland is ranked the 12th highest state for Chlamydia infection rates in the Nation, but Salisbury University is actively trying to fix that problem on the Eastern Shore and keep their students’ health safe.

Wicomico County has the 3rd highest rate of Chlamydia and the 2nd highest rate of Gonorrhea in the state of Maryland, according to the most recent survey from the Wicomico County Health Department, but Salisbury University is actively trying to change that.

Nurse Practitioner and Director of Health services at Salisbury University Lindsey Parker is a big advocate for proper contraception and safe sex.

“Our STI rates have stayed pretty consistent over the years. We have not noticed any significant increase or decrease. So, that is something we monitor.”

Parker says SU has offered affordable wellness visits for students living on and off campus – with an emphasis on contraception and safe sex.

“We offer low cost appointments to all of the students in our office,” Parker said. “We do STI testing and We also provide STI education.”

SU has even had STI and STD testing days to help keep health at top of mind for students.

“This past spring, we did a free STI testing day on campus and we tried to market that to all students and let them know that they could come in from free STI testing,” Parker said. “We are working on scheduling another free STI testing day in the Fall.”

“In the spring we had a really good outcome when we did it this last spring.”

Despite having a day during the semester just for testing, the university also has Wellness Wednesdays for any sexual health concerns.

“We have also participated in wellness Wednesdays where we have done outreach on campus where we have specifically talked about STI prevention and treatment to any students that were interested in joining.”

  SU Director of Health Services Lindsey Parker says the university is actively working towards installing condom and emergency contraceptive vending machines on campus for 24/7 access.