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

Abstract

This study was done to assess the knowledge, attitudes, risky behaviors and preventive practices related to sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) among health and non-health sciences university students as future healthcare providers in Malaysia. A total of 700 health and non-health sciences university students (255 male; 445 female) aged between 17 and 30 years were surveyed by using a self-administered questionnaire. The majority (86.6%) had heard of STDs, and 50.4% knew STDs could present without symptoms. HIV remains the best known STD (83.6%) by the students, while chlamydia (26%) and trichomoniasis (21.0%) were rarely known. Gender, age group, educational level and faculty type were strongly associated with knowledge level (p-values < 0.05). Most of them (88.8%) were aware that STD screening was important while use of condoms was protective (63.8%). The majority of them strongly felt that treatment should be sought immediately if they (85.5%) and their partners (87.4%) have symptoms. Among the sexually-active students, 66.7% and 18% had sexual intercourse with multiple partners and commercial sex workers, while 17.4% and 9.4% took alcohol and drugs before having sex, respectively. By logistic regression analysis, students aged 24–30 years old (an odds ratio (AOR) = 0.57, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.377–0.859) and faculty type (AOR = 5.69, 95% CI = 4.019–8.057) were the significant predictors for the knowledge level. Knowledge on the non-HIV causes of STDs is still lacking, and the risky behavior practiced by the sexually-active students in this study is alarming. There is a need to revisit the existing STD education curriculum in both schools and universities so that appropriate intervention on STDs can be implemented.

A Cross-Sectional Study on the Knowledge of Sexually Transmitted Diseases among Young Adults Living in Albaha, Saudi Arabia

“…Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the knowledge of STDs among young adults living in the Albaha region in Saudi Arabia and registered as undergraduate students in Albaha University. Findings reported in this study were consistent with evidence from previous literature [13][14][15][16]. Thus, the current work supports the suggestion that…”

“…Female participants showed higher STDs-KS compared to male students, which is consistent with few previous studies [4,13]. The question remains: is the risk of accruing and transmitting STDs among Saudis male and female is equal?…”

A Comparative Research of Sexual Behaviour and Risk Perception in Two Cohorts of Spanish University Students

“…The sexual behaviour of young people therefore constitutes a major risk factor in contracting HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Inconsistent use of condoms, a high number of different sexual partners, having sex after drinking alcohol and the low frequency of HIV testing are the most frequent risk behaviours reported in international research (Castro & Santos-Iglesias, 2016;Cortés Alfaro, García Roche, & Ochoa Soto, 2015;Fernández-Silva & Sánchez-Martínez, 2018;Folasayo et al, 2017;Xu et al, 2019;Mavhandu-Mudzusi & Asgedom, 2016;Othieno, Okoth, Peltzer, Pengpid & Malla, 2015;Thomas, Yarandi, Dalmida, Frados & Klienert, 2015). Previous studies showed that Spanish young people do not use condoms consistently (Bagmato, Jenaro, Flores & Guzmán, 2014;Ballester, Gil, Jiménez & Ruiz, 2009;Castro & Santos-Iglesias, 2016).…”

As infecções sexualmnete trasmissíveis em serviço especializado: quais são e quem as tem?

“…14 Although data indicate that the prevalence of non-knowledge decreases as the years of study increase, a more recent article showed that, even among university students, 14% did not know about STIs, 50.4% knew that they could be asymptomatic, 63.8% knew about the use of condoms, but that 66.7% of the sexually active had multiple partners. 18 The sample of this study also reveals that the gender, especially the unprotected, is independent of the level of schooling, although it is expected that individuals with university level, with greater access to information, will be more aware of the care with their protection and, consequently, , the lower the risk of contracting STIs. 14 The facilities of modern life and the increase in life expectancy, which in this case include hormonal replacement and medications to improve sexual performance, have allowed the elderly the opportunity to rediscover new experiences, among them, the experience of sexuality.…”

“…These behaviors are more frequent in homosexuals and bisexuals, however, the data show that heterosexuals, over the years, have tended to present the same behavior, as already pointed out by Folasayo et al, 2017. 18 Considering that heterosexuals, homosexuals and bisexuals have shown partner variability and that this percentage has been increasing in recent years, reducing almost half those with a single partner, associated with the non-use of condoms, increases the vulnerability in contracting STI to all groups, since even consistent use of condoms is not enough to prevent the transmission of some agents such as HPV, genital herpes and others. 12 The use of condoms was another interesting point, since, according to the users' discourse, most had a significant practice, although almost half had previously had an STI and was attending the service by some of them.…”