The Impact of Gender Roles on the Likelihood of STI Testing in College-Age Women

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Authors
Mueller, Sarah
Advisor
Arthur, Tya
Issue Date
2021-05
Keyword
Degree
Thesis (B.?)
Department
Honors College
Other Identifiers
CardCat URL
Abstract

The research questions that this study was challenged with answering were (1) What is the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) in college-aged women in the United States (2) How do gender roles impact the likelihood of STI testing? And (3)How does STI status impact women's role in society in the college setting? As STI incidence and prevalence increase across the nation, understanding the roles that women play in their social circles will aid in the development of prevention programs in the future. This study was a two-part study, that included a literature review, as well as qualitative interviews. The qualitative interviews were conducted using an interview guide developed for this research. The interview guide focused on experts on sexual health in college campuses to develop a deeper understanding of the impact of gender roles on college-aged women. The literature review was completed to develop an understanding of the impact of STI transmission and gender roles on the nation as a whole. The interviews demonstrated that experts see the priorities of college-age women as pregnancy prevention, rather than STI transmission prevention. In addition, the interviews showed that there is often a perceived power imbalance between male and female partners. The literature review demonstrated similar themes, as well as expanding upon the priorities of college-age men and women in regards to their sexual health. It can be concluded that many college-aged women lack power in their relationship, and the commonly applied gender role for women is that the men will decide if protection is used or not. Education should be implemented to teach men and women that STI prevalence is a real concern, to protect the sexual health of men and women.