According to the Area Health Authority (GGD), the number of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in Twente has increased alarmingly.
`We know that people often have unsafe sex after consuming large amounts of alcohol,' Peter Kuipers, a social health officer at the GGD Twente. `And, students often tend to drink a lot, so they have a higher risk of contracting an STD.'
The statistics are alarming. In 2003, the GGD Twente was consulted by 55% more people under 25 than in 2002. `As many as 525 young people came to us, because they suspected they had contracted something and wanted to be tested. A large part of those young people were students,' Kuipers explains. It is difficult to pinpoint any causes for the large increase. `People do tend to have themselves tested more quickly, so you can diagnose it more quickly as well.' But, he adds, `There seems to be a trend of having more unsafe sex, in part because the fear of HIV and AIDS seems to have faded.'
Chlamydia is the most common STD in the Netherlands. Kuipers states, `It is certainly the number one STD for young heterosexual people. The problem with this STD is that you can carry it without knowing, and the disease ultimately can lead to infertility. A chlamydia test is easily performed on morning urine.' Testing for STDs at the GGD Twente is free and can be done anonymously. Testing for HIV costs 25 euros.
Trans. Jeroen Latour
