A Study on the Knowledge and Practice of STD in Adolescent Girls- A Hospital-Based Study

Abstract

Introduction: Adolescents account for almost onefourth (23%) of the Bangladeshi population. The government has designated adolescent health as a priority concern in the Health, Nutrition, and Population Sector Program (HNPSP), yet access to reproductive health information and services is extremely restricted. The current study focused on 98 teenagers' healthseeking behaviors and reproductive knowledge, with a particular emphasis on their knowledge of and practice against sexually transmitted diseases. Aim of the study: The aim of the study was to understand the knowledge and practice of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among adolescent girls who visited the study hospital. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive
study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics Gynecology, Institute of Child and Mother Health, Matuail, Bangladesh. The study duration was 6 months, from July 2007 to December 2007. Result: The study was conducted with a total of 98 adolescent females, where the mean age was 15.95 years, and the majority (68.4%) were unmarried. Lower abdominal pain was the most common problem, followed by menstrual problems. Knowledge regarding health clinics came mostly from family or relatives. The basic knowledge of STDs was high among adolescent females, but the practice rate was extremely low. The majority of the participants had received knowledge regarding STDs primarily from friends and newspapers. Conclusion: The study observed that even among married participants, proper practice against STDs is very small. Although many adolescents know about STDs, the knowledge is not available to the whole adolescent population as it should be. Sexual relations and related topics are not properly discussed among family members, leading to a majority of participants learning of such factors from outside sources.