Sex and alcohol. Arguably two of the college population’s favorite pastimes, these two words definitely go hand in hand.

In August 1987, the incoming NIU freshmen were surveyed by the Health Enhancement Services. The survey questioned their health attitudes and habits and there were no “right” or “wrong” answers. The survey was taken again in April 1988, at the end of their first year, and once again in April 1990, at the end of their third year. The results from April 1990 are still being processed.

“What we’ve found is interesting,” said Michael Haines, Health Enhancement Services coordinator. Haines said the freshmen did less health promoting by the end of their first year. However, there were three areas in which health-consciousness improved:

Talking to a friend or relative about health troubles or other important issues.

Using some form of birth control when trying to prevent pregnancy.

Recognizing signs of stress.

aines said one positive aspect revealed by the survey is that students are more likely to use contraceptives once they came to NIU. Condom usage increased from 19.4 percent to 48 percent, and contraceptive usage (oral contraceptives, IUDs, sponges, etc.) increased from 19 percent to 52 percent. Condom usage was the greatest change noted by the end of the first year.

Although birth control usage may be increased, sexually transmissible diseases (STDs) are still present on NIU’s campus. During the last four years, the University Health Service has seen between 41 and 51 cases of gonorrhea and 130 to 315 cases of chlamydia. The percentage of gonorrhea has stayed within 1 percent since 1988.

In 1989, there were 1,192 cases of condyloma, a type of venereal warts. No HIV (AIDS virus) cases have been identified, but the health service diagnoses about three or four hepatitis B cases each year. “We’ve been trying to track STDs, but that’s not easy to do,” Haines said.

aines also said there hasn’t been a big decline in the number of students avoiding sexual intercourse to prevent STDs. There has been a great increase in use of protection, but not a significant decrease in abstention. “In a sense we’re sending out two messages,” he said. “One is ‘say no’ and the other is ‘if you’re going to say yes, say yes safely.'”

Haines noted that alcohol affects the likelihood of STDs. A health service report states the risk factor (per 1,000 students) of sexual intercourse without a condom is 600/1,000, risk of high alcohol consumption is 430/1,000 and risk of STDs is 150/1,000.

“We’ve been granted a grant to study and hopefully change students’ behavior (toward alcohol),” Haines said. Drinking behavior changes, as well as perceptions as to what’s “normal,” he said. “We’ve found that the misperception on most campuses is that students think there’s more drinking going on than there actually is,” he said.

According to a survey, almost 70 percent of students thought students drank more than six drinks in one sitting, when only 40 percent of students actually do. “What students think is the norm is what they try to be like, especially freshmen,” he said.