[Effects of a comprehensive health education program on reproductive tract infections/sexually transmitted diseases intervention among reproductive age population in the rural areas of China].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effectiveness on comprehensive health education intervention program regarding reproductive tract infections/sexually transmitted diseases (RTIs/STDs) among reproductive age population in the rural areas of China.


METHODS
Data were generated from the Reproductive Health/Family Planning Project implemented by the State Family Planning Committee and the Ministry of Health from 1998 to 2002, which covered 32 counties in 22 provinces. A quasi-experimental design was used. Six counties were selected from 32 project counties as intervention group, while 6 non-project counties were taken as controls which were similar in number of population and economic level to the counties as selected. Subjects of the study were mothers with children under 3 years and men under 35 years of age. A total number of 675 mothers and men were interviewed using a structured questionnaire by strictly trained investigators. Logistic model was used to compare the difference of knowledge on RTIs/STDs between intervention group and control group. OR value was used to describe the degree of the difference.


RESULTS
Over the 18 month intervention period, persons in the intervention group had more knowledge of RTIs/STDs than those in control group. Logistic regression analysis indicated that intervention was significantly associated with better knowledge on factors as transmission, risks, symptoms, management and prevention of RTIs/STDs with 95% CI of OR as 2.4 - 6.4, 2.0 - 4.8, 3.0 - 6.4, 1.9 - 5.7 and 1.8 - 6.8 respectively, after controlling the demographic factors. Level of education was an important factor influencing the subjects to receive knowledge on RTIs/STDs.


CONCLUSIONS
Comprehensive health education intervention programs had significant impact on knowledge about RTIs/STDs among the target population, indicating that the Reproductive Health/Family Planning Project implemented in the rural areas of China had been successful.
Center for Maternal and Child Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100083, China.
Tong
T
Zhang
Yan-Qiao
YQ
Wu
Yan-Ping
YP
Wang
Geng-Li
GL
Zhao
Fei
F
Yin
Ming-Hui
MH
Chen
D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012423:Rural Health; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*