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ABSTRACT
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are responsible for a high burden of morbidity and mortality in many developing countries especially among adolescents. The aim of this study is to evaluate the awareness, knowledge and controls of sexually transmitted infections amongst teenage secondary girls at Iyoba College in Benin City, Edo State. A total of three hundred and three secondary school girls participated in this study. This research is a cross sectional study; a multivariable questionnaire was designed to provide answers to some questions. The questionnaire is divided into four main sections (A – D). Section A comprises of social demographic variables such as age, sex, marital status, alcohol consumption, smoking etc. Section B deals with information on awareness of sexually transmitted infections. Section C provides questions that bother on knowledge of the participants on sexually transmitted infections. Section D provides insight into the information of the participants had on the controls of sexually transmitted infections. Ministries of Health and Education approved this study. Results indicated the mean age of the participants to be 16.1years, all the participants were single, practiced Christianity as religion, had acquired secondary school education and were non-smokers. Of the total 303 participants, 158 (52.1%) of the teenage girls learnt about STI through the television. Other sources include, radio 94 (31%), friends 62 (20.5%), newspapers 32 (10.6%) and school 23 (7.5%). Majority 114 (37.6%) of the teenage girls believe that the transmission of STI is through different forms of sexual activities other than sexual intercourse. Of the total number of 12 infected girls 7 (58.3%) of the infected girls learnt of their type of STI from the hospital. Others sources include medical laboratories 3 (25%) and through knowledge of signs and symptoms 2 (16.7%) of the STDs. A greater percentage 9 (75%) of the infected teenagers reported they observed ‘burning sensations while urinating’. Other symptoms observed by the infected girls include ‘itching of the private part’ 1 (8.3%). Thirty-four of the girls 1 (11.2%) believed that STDs cannot be controlled. This study concluded that the secondary school girls at Iyoba college, Edo state, Nigeria, mostly have knowledge and awareness of STIs. Though the HIV ranked highest among the common STIs known to them in this study. Their opinions were divided on sources of information on STIs, but radio and television are mostly mentioned. Also, there were no clear cut on the opinions of the participants on the modes of transmission of these STIs. The participants lacked depth in the areas of how STIS could be controlled. The stakeholders especially the curricular developer should step up ways of incorporating the teaching of sex education into the curriculum of these students.
