Abstract
This study explores coping with STIs and related factors including knowledge, sexual behavior, and sex education among Korean adolescents. Anonymous self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 135 male and 150 female high school students. The results showed that 2.1% of participants had had sexual experience. Males had less information than females (p<0.05); 38.5% of males did not consult anyone. In contrast, females acquired information from and consulted with their parents. Although females' sexual abstinence behavior was higher than that of males (p<0.001), there were no significant differences in the STI knowledge test. Regarding sex education, 32.4–59.5% of students had received education on STIs. Students' degree of satisfaction with sexual knowledge was 10.2%, their understanding of STIs was poor, and they could not cope with having a checkup. In conclusion, high school students receive insufficient education to protect themselves from STIs. Their knowledge was not related to sexual abstinence behavior and coping behavior. Therefore, schools in Korea should provide high school students with appropriate education on STI prevention and coping behavior. In addition, an environment that facilitates consultation and clinics for helping young people deal with sexual problems should be provided.
Highlights
More than one million people worldwide contract sexually transmitted infections (STIs) every day [1]
The results showed that 29 (10.2%) students were satisfied with the sexual knowledge, and there was no significant difference among gender (p = 0.06)
This study examined Korean adolescents’ knowledge on Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) prevention and how they cope with STI symptoms
Summary
More than one million people worldwide contract sexually transmitted infections (STIs) every day [1]. STIs affect people of all age groups, but it has been reported in the U.S that half of patients who contract STIs are 15- to 24-year-old adolescents [2] and that half of women past puberty with sexual experience contract STIs such as chlamydia or human papillomavirus [3]. While 72% of Korean adolescents reported having received sex education in the school classroom or through the media in the past year [6], only 2.7% had received it once a week, 8.7% once a month, and 90% about 1–2 times. In order to enhance STI prevention education programs for adolescents, this study examines how much Korean adolescents know about STI prevention and how they practice sexual abstinence behavior and cope with STI symptoms
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