Factors associated with the knowledge and attitude of adolescents regarding male condom use.

Gabriella Farias Lopes,Priscila De Souza Aquino,Marcela Matias Sena,Isabelle Barros Sousa,Giovanna Evelyn Luna Silveira,Vitória Caroline Da Cunha Rodrigues,Thays Silva De Souza Lopes

doi:10.1590/0034-7167-2019-0452

Gabriella Farias Lopes, Priscila De Souza Aquino + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2019-0452

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Abstract

Identify factors associated with the knowledge and attitude regarding male condom use in school adolescents. Cross-sectional, quantitative, Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice survey, conducted with 114 adolescents from a public state high school from August to October 2017, in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. The assumption of having sufficient knowledge regarding safe sex, not having a casual/dating partner, and having had three or more sexual partners in the last three months affected adequate knowledge. Higher education of the mother and not talking to the mother about sex were factors that influenced the inappropriate attitude of the participants. The knowledge and attitude of adolescents are influenced both by their previous sexual relations and by their relationship with their mother and the level of her schooling. Thus, it is essential that health institutions promote actions aimed at sex education, with support from schools and health professionals in general.

Highlights

Adolescence, a period that comprises the age group of 10 to 19 years, constitutes physical and organic transformations combined with the perception of sexual and occupational identity
Of the 61 adolescents who considered their knowledge of safe sex“sufficient”, 49 effectively had adequate knowledge (p = 0.003), with a chance ratio of 3.5, the same did not happen with the attitude
It was seen that the adequate knowledge of female participants in relation to the use of the male condom came close to significance when compared to the knowledge of the male participants

Summary

Introduction

Adolescence, a period that comprises the age group of 10 to 19 years, constitutes physical and organic transformations combined with the perception of sexual and occupational identity This phase involves intense biopsychosocial changes as it represents the transformation to adulthood and the development of autonomy towards parents [1]. In the context of search for new experiences and the exploration of new environments, situations, and relationships, adolescents can be involved in numerous situations of vulnerability, which can have negative consequences in the short, medium, or long term. These include, for example, use of alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs, antisocial conduct, risky sexual behavior, among others [2]. Regarding the vulnerability to STIs, Brazilian statistics show a trend in the increase of AIDS cases among young people, as well as a higher incidence of STIs in this population [3]

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