Knowledge, awareness and perception of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among Nigerian adolescent girls

• Published in: Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology Vol. 22; no. 3; pp. 302 - 305
• Main Authors: Obiechina, Nworah J. A., Diwe, K., Ikpeze, O. C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Informa UK Ltd 2002; Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Adolescent; Child; Female; Girls; Health Education; Humans; Nigeria; Sex education; Sexually transmitted diseases; Sexually Transmitted Diseases - etiology; Sexually Transmitted Diseases - therapy; STD; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teenagers; Nigeria; Onitsha Nigeria
• ISSN: 0144-3615; 1364-6893
• DOI: 10.1080/01443610220130634

Knowledge, awareness and perception of STDs among 983 adolescent female high school students at Onitsha, Nigeria is analysed. There was good general awareness of the common STDs, HIV/AIDS: 93·6% ( n =920), gonorrhoea: 76·3% ( n =750); syphilis: 69·1% ( n =679), while the least was chlamydial disease: 6·6% ( n =65). Knowledge of causes of STDs was high. Viruses were identified as the most common cause of STDs by 75·3% ( n =740) of the respondents, followed by bacteria by 64·1% ( n =630), while 17·8% ( n =175) of the students believed that poison/witchcraft caused STDs. Surprisingly, 35·5% ( n =349) identified herbs and natural medicines as effective remedies for these STDs; 56·7% ( n =557) identified antibiotics as treatment for STDs, 33·8% ( n =331) antiviral drugs, while a high percentage of the students believed in prayer houses as a remedy: 30·3% ( n =298). The most common source of information was through the school: 80·6% ( n =792), followed by television: 80·1% ( n =787); radio accounted for 73·1% ( n =719) and health workers for 64·1% ( n =630). Awareness about preventive measures was as follows: abstinence 67·4% ( n =663), mutual fidelity 56·7% ( n =557) and condoms 54·8% ( n =539).