Knowledge of university students about sexually transmitted infections: a literature review

Abstract

Introduction: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a serious health care problem, with an estimated annual incidence of 357 million cases by the World Health Organization (WHO). It is important to recognize that young adults are responsible for more than half of all STI cases. Objective: The aim of this review was to determine the general knowledge of university students about STI. Methods: A literature review was conducted to identify knowledge studies of undergraduate students about STI. The electronic database MEDLINE was searched for articles published in the past 5 years, using the following MeSH terms: “Sexually Transmitted Diseases,” “Knowledge,” “University,” and “Students.” Studies’ titles and abstracts were screened for eligibility and relevant articles were read in full and included in the review. Results: A total of nine articles were selected for the final analysis. When compared to other courses, health students had higher rates of knowledge and showed more correct answers to the questions about STI than students from other courses. For some students, the consciousness acquired at the university acted as a protection factor to avoid risky sexual behavior. In contrast, in one study, only 13% of the students declared feeling they had enough knowledge to avoid getting infected. The source of knowledge may vary. Concerning a Chinese study, students declared their knowledge about STI was obtained mainly at school. HIV was the best known STI, although 90% of the participants in one study were unaware that an infected person might not have any symptoms. Comparisons between sex and age evidenced knowledge variation in some studies. Conclusion: The average of knowledge level about STI among university students varies between 30% and 60% in the analyzed studies. HIV/AIDS was the best known STI and this result shows the need for emphasizing other STI information among university students.