RESEARCH PAPER
Assessment of the relationship between demographic variables and knowledge, attitude and practice of Azad Islamic University students about sexually transmitted diseases in 2018
1
Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
2
Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
3
Department of Nursing, Khomein University of Medical Sciences, Khomein, Iran
4
Student Research Committee, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
5
Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
6
Department of Health Education, Educational Neuroscience Research Center, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran
7
Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran
Submission date: 2020-04-18
Final revision date: 2020-10-29
Acceptance date: 2021-03-05
Publication date: 2021-09-30
HIV & AIDS Review 2021;20(3):201-207
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are one of the health concerns of the new century and likelihood of morbidity in young people is high. Knowledge and attitude about these diseases and demographic characteristics of people have and important role in reduction of their incidence and prevalence. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the relationship between demographic variables and knowledge, attitude and practice of young people regarding STDs.
Material and methods:
This study is a descriptive cross-sectional study, 500 students including were participated in 2018. Cluster random sampling was applied through the selection of various universities and colleges in 5 Azad units: North, South, East, West and Center of Tehran. Students were studying in art, human science, engineering, base science etc., majoring in B.A. and B.Sc. degrees. The data gathering tool was a researcher-made questionnaire. Its validity was confirmed by content and face validity. Reliability was assessed using the test-re-test method. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21 software and descriptive and analytical statistical tests such as t test and ANOVA.
Results:
There was no significant relationship between students’ mean knowledge and gender (p = 0.434), but relationships of attitude and practice (risk and preventive) with gender (p < 0.001) and knowledge, and attitude (p < 0.001) with marital status were observed, female gender being associated with better attitude and practice and married women having better knowledge and attitude. The ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis test and the least significant difference (LSD) test showed no significant difference between the students of Azad University and their field of study with their knowledge.
Conclusions:
Intervention in the study population was needed in order to increase awareness, change attitude and reduce risky behaviors and integrate education of sexually transmitted diseases in the academic curriculum. On the other hand, the establishment of valid websites, weblogs and valid channels in social media by medical universities is recommended because students reported Internet and social media as the most common way of getting information about STDs, with the focus on male students and single students, who need more education and attention. Students reported the Internet as the most frequent way of acquiring knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases (28.8%) followed by social media (23.2%) and the lowest rate of information about sexually transmitted infections was radio followed by health care providers and professors.
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are one of the health concerns of the new century and likelihood of morbidity in young people is high. Knowledge and attitude about these diseases and demographic characteristics of people have and important role in reduction of their incidence and prevalence. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the relationship between demographic variables and knowledge, attitude and practice of young people regarding STDs.
Material and methods:
This study is a descriptive cross-sectional study, 500 students including were participated in 2018. Cluster random sampling was applied through the selection of various universities and colleges in 5 Azad units: North, South, East, West and Center of Tehran. Students were studying in art, human science, engineering, base science etc., majoring in B.A. and B.Sc. degrees. The data gathering tool was a researcher-made questionnaire. Its validity was confirmed by content and face validity. Reliability was assessed using the test-re-test method. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21 software and descriptive and analytical statistical tests such as t test and ANOVA.
Results:
There was no significant relationship between students’ mean knowledge and gender (p = 0.434), but relationships of attitude and practice (risk and preventive) with gender (p < 0.001) and knowledge, and attitude (p < 0.001) with marital status were observed, female gender being associated with better attitude and practice and married women having better knowledge and attitude. The ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis test and the least significant difference (LSD) test showed no significant difference between the students of Azad University and their field of study with their knowledge.
Conclusions:
Intervention in the study population was needed in order to increase awareness, change attitude and reduce risky behaviors and integrate education of sexually transmitted diseases in the academic curriculum. On the other hand, the establishment of valid websites, weblogs and valid channels in social media by medical universities is recommended because students reported Internet and social media as the most common way of getting information about STDs, with the focus on male students and single students, who need more education and attention. Students reported the Internet as the most frequent way of acquiring knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases (28.8%) followed by social media (23.2%) and the lowest rate of information about sexually transmitted infections was radio followed by health care providers and professors.
REFERENCES (28)
1.
Peckham S, Hann A, Kendall S, Gillam S. Health promotion and disease prevention in general practice and primary care: a scoping study. Prim Health Care Res Develop 2017; 18: 529-540.
3.
College students’ suggestions for improving sex education in schools beyond ‘blah blah blah condoms and STDs’. Sex Education 2021; 21: 91-105.
4.
Harbertson J, De Vera K, Scott PT, et al. Longitudinal survey of condom use across a US Navy and Marine Corps shipboard deployment. BMJ Open 2019; 9: e028151.
5.
Teimori F, Kariman N, Mansori F, et al. Prevalence of risky behaviours and STD in women reffered to addiction kermanshah nilofar center (2009, 2010). Kermanshah University J 2011; 15: 400.
6.
Mahdizadeh J. Human papilloma virus and Tp53 gene mutation in oral tongue SCC and their correlation with tumor characteristics:.
8.
Yazdi-Ravandi STZ, Ghaleiha A, Azhdarloo M, Shamsaei F. Knowledge and attitude in Hamadan University of Medical Sciences students toward AIDS: a cross-sectional study from West of Iran. Scientific Researchers 2017; 4: 103-106.
9.
Rahmati Najarkolaie F, Khobdel M, Ghasemi M, Farmanbar R, Jafari MR, Khah TK. Knowledge and high risk behaviors of newly entered students to Tehran University toward HIV/AIDS. J Holist Nurs Midwifery 2013; 23: 35-44.
10.
Hall WJ, Jones BLH, Witkemper KD, Collins TL, Rodgers GK. State policy on school-based sex education: a content analysis focused on sexual behaviors, relationships, and identities. Am J Health Behav 2019; 43: 506-519.
11.
Tamire W, Enqueselassie F. Knowledge, attitude, and practice on emergency contraceptives among female university students in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Ethiopian Journal of Health Development 2007; 21: 111-116.
12.
Folasayo AT, Oluwasegun AJ, Samsudin S, Saudi SN, Osman M, Hamat RA. Assessing the knowledge level, attitudes, risky behaviors and preventive practices on sexually transmitted diseases among university students as future healthcare providers in the Central Zone of Malaysia: a cross-sectional study. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2017; 14: 159.
13.
Sekirime WK, Tamale J, Lule JC, Wabwire-Mangen F. Knowledge, attitude and practice about sexually transmitted diseases among university students in Kampala. Afr Health Sci 2001; 1: 16-22.
14.
Najmabadi M, Babazadeh R, Mousavi SA, Shariati M. Iranian adolescent girls’ challenges in accessing sexual and reproductive health information and services. J Health 2018; 8: 561-574.
15.
Hedayati-Moghaddam MR, Eftekharzadeh-Mashhadi I, Fathimoghadam F, Pourafzali SJ. Sexual and reproductive behaviors among undergraduate university students in Mashhad, a city in Northeast of Iran. J Reprod Infertil 2015; 16: 43-48.
16.
Nagmabadi KM, Babazadeh R, Shariati M, Mousavi SA. Iranian ado lescent girls and sexual and reproductive health information and services: a qualitative study. Iranian Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Infertility 2014; 17: 9-18.
17.
Gray BJ, Jones AT, Couzens Z, Sagar T, Jones D. University students’ behaviours towards accessing sexual health information and treatment. Int J STD AIDS 2019; 30: 671-679.
18.
Pourjam R, Rahimi Khalifeh Kandi Z, Estebsari F, et al. An analytical comparison of knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding HIV/AIDS among medical and non-medical students in Iran. HIV AIDS (Auckl) 2020; 12: 165-173.
19.
Shokoohi M, Karamouzian M, Mirzazadeh A, et al. HIV knowledge, attitudes, and practices of young people in Iran: findings of a national population-based survey in 2013. PLoS One 2016; 11: e0161849.
20.
Esmaeilzadeh S, Allahverdipour H, Fathi B, Shirzadi S. Risk perception of HIV/AIDS and low self-control trait: explaining preventative behaviors among Iranian university students. Glob J Health Sci 2015; 8: 44-52.
21.
Angrist N, Matshaba M, Gabaitiri L, Anabwani G. Revealing a safer sex option to reduce HIV risk: a cluster-randomized trial in Botswana. BMC Public Health 2019; 19: 610.
22.
Furry DB, Mashalla Y, Tshweneagae GT. Sexual and reproductive health among high school adolescents in west Shoa zone, Oromia region in Ethiopia. Afr J Reprod Health 2019; 23: 65-72.
24.
Jones D. Reported oral and anal sex among adolescents and adults reporting heterosexual sex in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review. Reprod Health 2019; 16: 48.
25.
James TG, Cheong J, Ryan SJ. Sexual risk factors and human immunodeficiency virus testing intention among at-risk college students who have never been tested. Sex Trans Dis 2019; 46: e76-e79.
26.
Whiting W, Pharr JR, Buttner MP, Lough NL. Behavioral interventions to increase condom use among college students in the United States: a systematic review. Health Educ Behav 2019; 46: 877-888.
27.
Keizur EM, Bristow CC, Baik Y, Klausner JD. Knowledge and testing preferences for Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis infections among female undergraduate students. J Am Coll Health 2020; 68: 754-761.
28.
Anwar M, Sulaiman SA, Ahmadi K, Khan TM. Awareness of school students on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and their sexual behavior: a cross-sectional study conducted in Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. BMC Public Health 2010; 10: 47.
Share
RELATED ARTICLE
| eISSN: | 1732-2707 |
| ISSN: | 1730-1270 |
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
