Knowledge, Behavior and Attitudes of University Students toward Sexually Transmitted Infections

Background and Design: This study evaluates the knowledge, behavior and attitudes about sexually transmitted infections (Sits) among university students attending faculties other than medicine. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional and descriptive study was designed. A self-administered questionnaire comprising 37 questions was administered to students of Turkish nationality in a six-week period who attended to medico. Three hundred and eighty eight students completed the questionnaire. Results: Among students, 56.9% were female and 43.1% were male. Mean age was 21.18 +/- 2.46. Of the students, 76.9% claimed that they knew about Sits. "Internet" (63.9%) was the most common source of information, followed-by "friends" (48%). HIV was the most common known disease as a STI (96.8%), followed-by gonorrhea, syphilis, hepatitis-B, genital herpes, genital warts, hepatitis-C. Of the respondents, 93.7% knew that STIs could be transmitted by vaginal sex, while 69% knew about transmission by blood, 48.9% by anal sex and 32% by oral sex. The rate of students who did not know any of the symptoms of STIs was 32.9%. Of the females 13.3% and of the males 51.6% stated to have sexual experience with statistically significant difference among sexes (chi(2)=62.722, p=0.001). Females reported first sexual intercourse at an older age than males (t=3.970, p=0.001). Approximately half of the males (55.8%) and nearly all of the females (95.8%) who reported to have sexual activity had 2 or less sexual partners (chi(2)=9.564, p=0.008). Both sexes showed risky sexual behavior about condom use (chi(2)=3.210, p=0.523). Conclusion: It seems that most of the Turkish university students are not aware of STIs other than HIV. They especially lack knowledge about symptoms, complications and transmission routes of STIs. The low rate of condom use shows their risky behavior to get STI. Lack of knowledge about STIs, condom use and risky sexual behaviors among university students deserve attention to the lack of education on this matter in our country. (Turkderm 2012; 46: 20-5)