Perception of Adolescents in the Commune of Bandalungwa on Practices to Prevent Sexually Transmitted Infections

Abstract

Background and Objective: Adolescence is a period of transition, physical maturation, identity formation and the acquisition of social roles. During this period, sexuality is perceived with a great deal of ambiguity in most parts of the world. While it is accepted that adolescents can have a sexual life, it is often considered problematic because of the risks involved: sexually transmitted infections (STIS), unwanted pregnancies and the social prohibitions imposed on adults. Method: For this, we opted for the phenomenological survey method, followed by the semi-structured interview technique using in-depth face-to-face interviews and rounded off by a data collection instrument consisting essentially of an interview guide with a Smartphone recorder. Results: After analysis and discussion, the following emerges: the adolescents interviewed represent sexually transmitted infections in several ways, as being a disease transmitted by sexual intercourse or an incident of sexual intercourse. They felt that certain practices such as fidelity, abstinence, screening and the use of condoms could help prevent STIS. However, they said that certain factors can hinder the use of these preventive measures, including lack of awareness, shame about buying condoms and lack of financial resources. Conclusion: Considering the quintessence of this scourge of STIS that plagues teenagers, the conclusion of this study proposes solutions linked to the use of condoms and also fidelity and/or abstinence.