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.
