Ankara’da Düşük Sosyoekonomik Düzeyi Olan Bir Bölgede Ergenlerin Cinsel Yolla Bulaşan Hastalıklar Hakkındaki Bilgi Düzeyleri

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the level of knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) of adolescents aged 14 to 17 years and to investigate the factors that affect the levels of knowledge. Material and Methods: 527 adolescents aged 14-17 years who presented to the Department of Pediatrics were given a questionnaire about their knowledge regarding STDs and socio-demographic characteristics. "1" point was given for "correct" answers and "0" points for "incorrect" or "don’t know" answers. Results: A total of 39 newborns with hydrops fetalis were included in this study. Twenty two infants (56.4%) were diagnosedAdolescents mostly (34%) preferred talking to healthcare professionals about sexual health issues. A "yes" answer was given to the "Did you have sexual intercourse last year?" question by 9.3% of adolescents. The median score on the STD Information Test was 5. Thirty-six adolescents received "0" points. There was a significant relationship between the level of knowledge about STDs and age (p=0.001, r=0.232). Higher family income and parent education level were positively related to adolescents’ knowledge level (p<0.05). The knowledge level of adolescents who previously had sexual intercourse was higher than the other groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study determined that the age of first sexual experience is declining in our country but adolescents have little knowledge about STDs and want to receive more information on this topic via healthcare professionals, school and visual media. More attention should be focused on reproductive and sexual health issues in formal education to promote the development of healthy sexual behavior and protection from STDs among adolescents. It is also important to establish "adolescent outpatient clinics" in health units of our country.