title: Assessing the Knowledge Level, Attitudes, Risky Behaviors and Preventive Practices on Sexually Transmitted Diseases among University Students as Future Healthcare Providers in the Central Zone of Malaysia: A Cross-Sectional Study.
abstract: This study was done to assess the knowledge, attitudes, risky behaviors and preventive practices related to sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) among health and non-health sciences university students as future healthcare providers in Malaysia. A total of 700 health and non-health sciences university students (255 male; 445 female) aged between 17 and 30 years were surveyed by using a self-administered questionnaire. The majority (86.6%) had heard of STDs, and 50.4% knew STDs could present without symptoms. HIV remains the best known STD (83.6%) by the students, while chlamydia (26%) and trichomoniasis (21.0%) were rarely known. Gender, age group, educational level and faculty type were strongly associated with knowledge level (p-values < 0.05). Most of them (88.8%) were aware that STD screening was important while use of condoms was protective (63.8%). The majority of them strongly felt that treatment should be sought immediately if they (85.5%) and their partners (87.4%) have symptoms. Among the sexually-active students, 66.7% and 18% had sexual intercourse with multiple partners and commercial sex workers, while 17.4% and 9.4% took alcohol and drugs before having sex, respectively. By logistic regression analysis, students aged 24-30 years old (an odds ratio (AOR) = 0.57, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.377-0.859) and faculty type (AOR = 5.69, 95% CI = 4.019-8.057) were the significant predictors for the knowledge level. Knowledge on the non-HIV causes of STDs is still lacking, and the risky behavior practiced by the sexually-active students in this study is alarming. There is a need to revisit the existing STD education curriculum in both schools and universities so that appropriate intervention on STDs can be implemented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. temmygraces@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Adigun Temiloluwa
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Folasayo
authors.affiliation: School of Architectural Design (SOAD), Linton Universiti College, Persiaran UTL, Bandar Universiti Teknologi Legenda (BUTL), Batu 12, 71700 Mantin, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. jamsxz2001@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Afolayan John
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Oluwasegun
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. suhailah.sam@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Suhailah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Samsudin
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. sakinahsaudi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Siti Nor Sakinah
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Saudi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. malinaosman@upm.edu.my.
authors.forename: Malina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Osman
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. rukman@upm.edu.my.
authors.forename: Rukman Awang
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hamat
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012737:Sex Factors; D011477:Sex Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013336:Students, Health Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: future health providers; sexual behavior; sexually-transmitted diseases; university students