Young adults on college campuses have many challenges, from school work and final exams to juggling the increasing financial burden now associated with college. A hidden, rarely discussed challenge is the rise of sexually transmitted disease (STDs) among young people in college.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that cases of three STDs – chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis – have increased for the first time since 2006. While STDs affect individuals of all ages, they disproportionally impact young people. CDC estimates that youth ages 15–24 make up just over one quarter of the sexually active population, but account for half of the 20 million STDs that occur in the United States each year.

While this disproportionate threat exists for youth and young adults, there is no evidence to indicate that college students are increasing their use of condoms (male or female). According to the American College Health Association’s Fall 2015 National College Health Assessment, sexually active males surveyed used a condom (male or female) 50% of the time during vaginal sex and 36% for anal sex; females reported 46% condom use during vaginal sex and 21% for anal sex.  The use of a barrier method was much lower for both males and females during oral sex.

University health educators, college clinic healthcare providers, student organizations, and student leaders are not taking this threat to college students lightly. They are doing something about it one creative and fun program at a time, with the awareness that one condom program does not fit all. College students are hearing about an array of condom options, including the FC2 Female Condom, which remains the only FDA approved female condom.

The FC2 Female Condom is a thin, soft, loose-fitting sheath made from nitrile (non-latex) which is worn inside the vagina. The FC2 offers dual protection against unintended pregnancy and STDs (including HIV).

Here are three examples of FC2 creative outreach happening at universities across the United States:

San Francisco State University: Get Faculty Involved
The FC2 Campaign at SFSU was inspired by data found in the NCHA (National College Health Assessment) of Spring 2015 which indicated that there was a lack of awareness/use of the FC2 among San Francisco State students. In response, Sexual Health PEACH (Peer Educators Advocating Campus Health), a student organization at SFSU, decided that the best way to motivate students to get educated about FC2 is through academic credit. So, they teamed up with a cadre of professors (i.e. biology, health education) and asked them to give class credit to students for completing the FC2 Online Training Program. In turn, these students talk to their peers about what they learned, becoming built-in peer health educators on campus.

Sexual Health PEACH also hosts FC2 pop up events throughout the semester, along with other creative sexual health programming. As students have participated in the FC2 Online Training Program, they are more open to and aware of female condoms when they encounter them at one of PEACH’s events.

Boston University: FC2 Delivered to Your Door
Many universities have developed a condom delivery service for students, and one of the best known one is the Condom Fairy program at Boston University. Students living on-campus simply complete an order form requesting safer sex supplies, from FC2 to dental dams, and they are delivered to the students’ doors. The Condom Fairy website features guides to help students figure out what tool(s) they need to remain protected while having fun based on the sexual activities they report. BU Office of Wellness has presented the nuts and bolts of their Condom Fairy program at national conferences and been interviewed by multiple news sources.

And while all of this attention is exciting, BU Office of Wellness and Prevention Services is constantly assessing and tweaking its program in order to provide optimal customer service and satisfaction to its recipients. For example, staff surveyed students specifically on their need for and/or interest in female condoms. Their evaluation data showed that FC2s are an important resource to their student population. Based on the results, BU’s Wellness Ambassadors have expanded their FC2 outreach beyond the Condom Fairy program, to outreach in the residence halls, at drop-in centers like the Center for Gender Sexuality & Activism, during Frisky February outreach, and at other events on campus.

University of South Carolina: Start Freshman Year
What better time to learn about the many options of safer sex than the beginning of your college tenure? Prevention staff and peer educators at the University of South Carolina’s Student Health Services Healthy Campus Initiatives believe the best time to start with FC2 education is the first semester of a student’s life at USC. The Changing Carolina Peer Leaders provide FC2 education throughout campus, including residence halls, student organizations, and academic classes. Recently, that outreach has found a home in the U101 presentations for first year students, a session where freshman learn about STDs, condom use (FC2), negotiation skills, and more. The peer educators and staff provide FC2 demonstrations, pleasure positive tips, and FC2 samples. And since 2015, the Annual Project Condom Fashion Show at USC has allowed students to incorporate FC2 into their garment design as a way to raise awareness about FC2.

Students also receive education and information on FC2 at tabling events and awareness events, such as Get Yourself Talking (GYT). This spring, GYT outreach focused on talking with partners about what they find pleasurable, getting tested for STDs, and advocating for their own sexual health. This year’s 2016 Project Condom will have an “ask the sexperts” focus so that students may anonymously ask questions about sexual health, healthy relationships, and safer sex options. FC2 will be used in garment design, as well as, available at education station to take home and try.

Creative sexual health programming is more likely to draw a wider audience, engage students, reduce stigma and intimidation around sexual health, and ideally bring about behavior change. To combat the high rates of STDs among youth and young adults, college health programs around the United States are developing creative programs to educate students about STIs and safer sex options, on nearly no budget at all.

For more on FC2 Female Condom College Health Programming contact info@fc2.us.com.

Visit Bedsider and Advocates for Youth to learn more about college sexual health in general.