title: Knowledge, awareness and perception of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among Nigerian adolescent girls.
abstract: Knowledge, awareness and perception of STDs among 983 adolescent female high school students at Onitsha, Nigeria is analysed. There was good general awareness of the common STDs, HIV/AIDS: 93.6% (n=920), gonorrhoea: 76.3% (n=750); syphilis: 69.1% (n=679), while the least was chlamydial disease: 6.6% (n=65). Knowledge of causes of STDs was high. Viruses were identified as the most common cause of STDs by 75.3% (n=740) of the respondents, followed by bacteria by 64.1% (n=630), while 17.8% (n=175) of the students believed that poison/witchcraft caused STDs. Surprisingly, 35.5% (n=349) identified herbs and natural medicines as effective remedies for these STDs; 56.7% (n=557) identified antibiotics as treatment for STDs, 33.8% (n=331) antiviral drugs, while a high percentage of the students believed in prayer houses as a remedy: 30.3% (n=298). The most common source of information was through the school: 80.6% (n=792), followed by television: 80.1% (n=787); radio accounted for 73.1% (n=719) and health workers for 64.1% (n=630). Awareness about preventive measures was as follows: abstinence 67.4% (n=663), mutual fidelity 56.7% (n=557) and condoms 54.8% (n=539).
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Nworah J A
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Obiechina
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Diwe
authors.forename: O C
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Ikpeze
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D009549:Nigeria; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires