Background: HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease in many regions of the world. 15% was found in women aged 15-19 years but the highest incidence of infection from HPV can be found in sexually active adolescents: between 50% and 80% of them catch the infection within two to three years from their first sexual relationship. Methods: A community randomized trial regarding HPV infection and HPV vaccination, and sexual health was carried out, in a sample of secondary school students. Peer education intervention was carried out and 2 follows-up were carried out after the educative intervention to evaluate the effective outcomes in a 1-year follow up of the effect of peer health education on primary prevention knowledge, attitude and behaviour towards HPV. Results: The sample of 900 students, with age of 16.6 ± 1.4 ds, 34.4% of which have sexual relationships. 64.6% of students in the experimental group said that they were aware of HPV, 83.4% were aware of how it is transmitted and 71.1% knew HPV vaccination, 54.7% perceived the level of danger with significant gender-related differences the percentages increased at T1. At T0, 14.1% of females were vaccinated: T1 they were 17.5% and 19.2% at T2. The main factors associated with the students’ propensity to vaccination were: having at least one sister; being in favor of vaccinations in general; knowing that the vaccine is aimed at preventing cervical cancer; and being aware that they could be infected by HPV. Conclusions: The study carried out highlights important differences between the experimental group and the control group in terms of knowledge but, most importantly, in terms of behaviour and it proves how the application of new educational methods based on the involvement of youngsters right from the initial stages of the project can help them to change their behaviour and maintain it in time
Background: An educational intervention on Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) accompanied by amultimedia exhibition was proposed in order to verify the effectiveness of an exhibition as a tool forprevention, to increase awareness in youth and to evaluate whether it yielded changes in the sexualbehaviour of its’ visitors. The Target population were high schools and university students.Methods: The Exhibition consisted of a historical overview and four other sections: biological and clinicalaspects, epidemiology, prevention and a section called the Red Zone with clear and explicit images relating toSTDs. The exhibition was supported by three observational studies carried out on about2000 students of twoHigh Schools and the university in the city of Cassino, Italy. Data collection took place through three differenttypes of “ad hoc” questionnaires. The Statistical analysis carried out was that typical of cross-sectionalsurveys. We utilized the statistical program Epi-Info 3.5.Results: Regarding survey 1, 48% of 529 students taking part said that the exhibition had contributed“enough” for them to acquire new knowledge, 75.2% had already had sexual intercourse and 37.7% ofthem did not change their sexual habits. Relative to survey 2, 583 responded to the pre test and 403 post-tests returned. Regarding knowledge, data obtained from processing of pre-tests showed how 63.9% of thesample did not know how many STDs existed, whilst this value dropped in post test answers to 49.2% .AIDS was the best known disease (96%) whilst other STDs were little known. The educational interventionpartly increased these percentages. With regard to sexual practices although 43% of the sample claimedto have already had sexual intercourse (66% male and 34% female). The family doctor is seen by a highpercentage of young people (70% - 68.6%) as the first figure which should address an individual affected by asexually contracted disease. Only 46% (pre and post tests) recognized at risk groups such as “drug addicts”,homosexuals and heterosexuals.Eight hundred university students participated in Survey 3. The sample had good knowledge about HIVtransmission and the AIDS disease and 93% of respondents knew how to avoid infection. They identifieddrug users and homosexuals as the most prone to infection to HIV, while awareness of infection risk amongheterosexuals was less marked. Despite its importance, awareness of condom use was worrying as only44.2% reported to always one.Conclusions: The exhibition can be considered as an effective prevention tool for new knowledge acquisitionbut not for the modification of behaviours already present. Even in this study, it looks like the long-termeffects, in populations who have had health education interventions with the models of behavioural change,are not sufficiently protective . Therefore, it is necessary to intensify efforts to broadly apply the mosteffective models of self empowerment in order to change risk behaviours.
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