title: Genital diseases awareness in young male students: Is information necessary to protect them?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few studies on the prevalence of male sexual diseases are currently available due to difficult application of observational studies or andrological disease prevention campaigns on large series of apparently healthy subjects. The medical check-up linked to compulsory military service represented in Italy a valid tool for epidemiological and observational study for 18 year old boys from 1861 to 2004. The stopping of compulsory military service and its related medical check-up could have determined an important social impact in terms of a lower level of attention and care on male genital/sexual diseases. The aim of the present observational study was to check the prevalence of genital/sexual diseases among young male high-school students and promote an alternative campaign of information among young students.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective observational analytical study on young male students was conducted by 6 urological centres. Genital and sexually transmitted diseases were presented with slides to students in a general assembly. Some students were then counselled and filled out a short questionnaire on their lifestyle.
  
  
  RESULTS
  12,535 students (10,432 males-83.6%) followed the presentation. and 4,897 males (46.7%) decided to be checked-up by the urologist and out of them 1554 (31.7%) presented relevant andrological diseases. Five-hundred students completed the questionnaire concerning their lifestyle. Many of them had not yet experienced condom use during sexual intercourse (27.8%). Drug abuse was reported by 39.6% of subjects and alcohol consumption in 80.8% of them.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest the need for a national information campaign on male sexual disorders to promote sexual health.
authors.affiliation: U.O. Urology, S. Maria Annunziata Hospital, University of Florence, Italy. mondatre@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mondaini
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Silvani
authors.forename: Teo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zenico
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rosso
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ughi
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Scarano
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Orlando
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bartoletti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult