Nivel de conocimiento sobre la infección de transmisión sexual en los estudiantes del primer, segundo y tercer Año del Ciclo Diversificado del Colegio Experimental Universitario Manuel Cabrera Lozano Extensión Motupe de la ciudad de Loja, durante el periodo de febrero a julio del 2011.

Although new cases of infection by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in the world have declined significantly, other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) little known by people, but with serious implications for their health at it is vital to identify the probable cause of the spread of such infections. The aim of this study was to determine the level of knowledge about STIs and identify risk factors that relate to the transmission of these infections. The study sample was 108 students, the high school program in a school, we applied two questionnaires one related to STIs and another risk factor. The results were tabulated, analyzed and graphed. The overall analysis of the level of knowledge about STIs, shows that it is deficient in more than half of the students (61%). Likewise, the risk factors identified most important are intake of alcohol and drugs (64%), and sexual precocity (56%). In conclusion, the high number of cases of STIs is not always due to lack of knowledge of how to prevent them, but also the inability to negotiate a healthy sexual relationship. Keywords: STIs, HIV, AIDS and adolescence.