Infertility knowledge and attitudes in urban high school students.
OBJECTIVE
To assess knowledge and attitudes about infertility through a survey.


METHODS
Descriptive study with stratified random sampling.


METHODS
Eighteen high schools were selected in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.


METHODS
Seven hundred seventy-two students participated in the study. The mean age of students was 17.5 +/- 0.98 years. Females were 49.02% (n = 377) of the sample. The sample was ethnically diverse, consisting of >13 groups.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
The main outcome was infertility knowledge and attitudes. Secondary analysis compared gender and socioeconomic status.


RESULTS
The majority (608; 79%) of high school students were familiar with the term infertility (95% confidence interval: 76%, 82%). More than 94% did not know that chlamydia or gonorrhea could lead to infertility. Seventy percent felt that protecting their fertility was important to them, with significantly more females feeling this way. There was a higher proportion of students from schools with low socioeconomic status who gave incorrect answers to knowledge-related questions and were unaware of the association between sexually transmitted infections and infertility.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the majority of students value their fertility, knowledge about preventable factors causing infertility was limited. Increased efforts are needed to educate students on factors that may affect their fertility.
Quach
Susan
S
Create IVF Program, The Sunnybrook and Women's College Hospital Fertility Centre,, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. susan.quach@gmail.com
Librach
Clifford
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D009864:Ontario; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data