U of S hopes to break record for STI testing
Urine samples will be assessed for free amid outbreak of gonorrhea in city
It’s a burning issue in Saskatchewan, and it can be solved with the same amount of effort it takes to use the washroom.
Saskatchewan leads the nation in its rate of chlamydia infections, and Saskatoon is suffering an outbreak of gonorrhea, which has doubled in the health region over the last year alone.
That makes now the perfect time to use what would generally be flushed down the toilet to get tested for these very curable infections.
On Wednesday, students on the University of Saskatchewan campus put their urine to good use as the university attempted to break the unofficial world record for getting the most people in 10 hours to submit a urine sample for sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing.
Organizers needed to get at least 1,054 people screened to break the current record, which is held by Western University in London, Ontario — that’s only a fraction of the more than 21,000 students enrolled at U of S.
The final number was not available by press time.
Numerous volunteers manned the seven booths across campus that were distributing sample cups and paper bags to interested students.
Pharmacy student Firuze Khoshandamgoli’s cries of “Free STI testing, all you have to do is pee in a cup,” reverberated through the main floor of Place Riel. She got involved because in her field there aren’t many options to work preventively against STIs, she said.
“We usually just get to see patients after they have been told they have an STI, then we help them with their treatment. It’s good to get to people before, just to encourage testing and destigmatize the experience.”
Natalya Mason, education and outreach co-ordinator for Saskatoon Sexual Health, said promoting the idea of regular STI checks is important in any walk of life, but especially on university campuses where students are beginning to explore relationships within a new, more independent, atmosphere.
“Making sure you get that routine testing done as part of being sexually active is non-negotiable,” she said. “Just the sheer amount of people who say ‘No thanks’ or ‘I don’t need to get tested’ when we ask them on days like today really points to that problem. Funnily enough, last year when our positives came back and our nurse got in contact with them, none of those people had any idea that it was possible that they were positive.”
Testing a patient’s urine will not uncover all STIs — forms were also on hand for blood tests at RUH for people wanting to cover all the bases — but these types of tests should be routine whether you’re in a long-term, monogamous relationship or not, said Jocylyn Orb, manager of the Student Wellness Centre.
“You want to be trusting (of your partner) but you also want to be smart because it’s your body ... Get tested, get treated and carry on.”
All the samples collected on campus Wednesday will be sent to a lab in Regina for testing; students should get their results within two weeks.
Anyone who was not on campus during the record attempt but is still interested in getting tested can visit the Saskatoon Sexual Health office or the Student Wellness Centre for a free screening anytime.