The Columbia-Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services officially put a price tag on STD testing on Thursday.

The previously free tests now costs $10 for Boone County residents, generating an estimated $30,000 for the county per year.

The instatement of testing fees is a part of “serious budget cuts throughout the city,” said the health department’s Public Information Officer Geni Alexander. “[STD testing] is not the only area where prices have changed.”

The county STD clinic saw 2,456 visits in 2008, one of the highest numbers in the state, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Between January and June of this year, the clinic has seen 1,249 patients for testing.

Although the numbers of patients over the years has remained constant, it is still unknown whether the increase in prices will have a significant effect on the number of people willing to be tested.

Alexander maintains that the numbers will remain the same.

“It is still a very economical price…for a very necessary service,” Alexander said.

HIV testing will remain free for the public.

The Student Health Center provides STI and STD testing for students, although it also comes with a price. The visit is covered by the health fee students pay at the beginning of the year, however the actual test price can range from ten to 85 dollars, depending on the type of test.

According to Columbia University Health Services, approximately 25 percent of college students across the United States have either been infected with a sexually transmitted disease or transmitted an STD to their sexual partner.

Additionally, two thirds of all individuals with STDs are under the age of 25.

Students at the University of Missouri are certainly no exception. According to the Mizzou Student Health Center’s 2008 National College Health Assessment, 7.2 percent of the nearly 1000 students surveyed said they were diagnosed with an STD.

The assessment results also showed that 51 percent of the respondents were sexually active with one partner, and 22 percent were engaged in sexual activity with 2 or more partners.

Sperling’s 2008 Trojan Sexual Health Report Card gave the University of Missouri a modest ranking of 64 out of 139 colleges and universities, with the ranking of 1 as the best. The report is the first national survey to grade the sexual health awareness efforts of colleges and universities across the country, ranking institutions based on many factors including the availability of contraceptives, testing, outreach programs, and sexual health advice.

Although sexual health can be a difficult topic to discuss, there is a program on campus aimed toward open communications. Sexual Health Advocate Peer Education (SHAPE) is a campus program that administers sexual health programming and awareness events for Mizzou students.

“We hope that providing students accurate, evidence-based information, they can then make educated decisions about their sexual health,” said SHAPE Faculty Director Heather Eastman-Mueller.

Just over 70 percent of Mizzou students are sexually active, according to an MU survey. Yet, knowledge about sexual health and STD’s among college students is often nominal.

“There’s definitely an information deficiency [about sexual health],” said Emily Luft, president of SHAPE.

Eastman-Mueller said the most dangerous aspect of sexual health is students’ denial of their own potential risk and susceptibility to disease.

“I believe that much more emphasis is placed on pregnancy prevention rather than STD prevention, which poses a significant risk to our students,” she said.

SHAPE is campus’s only student organization that directly addresses the issue of sexual health.

“It’s an uncomfortable issue for most people, for all people maybe,” said Luft. “[But] you are in charge of your sexual health.”

Statistics show that many Mizzou students are indeed practical about their sexual situations. The Health Center Assessment shows that nearly 70 percent of female students had a gynecological health exam in the past year and close to 50 percent reported being on some form of oral contraceptive. 39 percent of men surveyed had performed a testicular self-exam in the month before the survey.

“There are definitely a number of students who are concerned with their sexual health, as can be seen by the usage of safety products that are provided across campus,” said Mizzou student Jessica Scott, a peer educator with SHAPE.

Not all students are cautious. According to the same survey, 46.7 percent of student had never used a condom during oral sex. Only 19.3 percent had always used a condom during vaginal sex. Only 30 percent of respondents had been tested for an STD at some time in their life.

Yet, the fate of students’ sexual health ultimately lies in the hands of the student.

“Reach out, do your own research,” said Luft. “Be aware of what’s going on.”

While SHAPE is the only campus organization dedicated solely to sexual health, many other organizations are joining the campaign for sexual awareness. As part of the Missouri Students Association’s 2008 Sexual Health and Safety Products Initiative, free contraceptives are available to student via dispensers in six residence halls: Gillett, Mark Twain, Center, Bingham, Lathrop and Wolpers.

The available means of protection include male and female condoms and dental dams. Free condoms are also available at the Student Health Center, the Women’s Center, and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Resource Center.

Students with questions can also contact the Student Health Center. Questions and answers are confidential.

There do exist organizations in the Columbia area that still provide free testing services. Planned Parenthood of Columbia bases fees for those without insurance on household income. RAIN is a Columbia-based community organization focused on providing “compassionate non-medical care to people living with HIV, while offering prevention education to the community,” according to it’s Web site. The group offers free HIV and STD tests, including tests for syphilis, Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and hepatitis C.

“This might at times involve an uncomfortable or awkward conversation,” said Scott. “But communication about healthy sexual practices should be a part of any sexual relationship.” Eastman-Mueller added, “Know yourself and protect yourself.”