Do Risky Sexual Behaviors in Women Affect the Level of Knowledge on Sexually Transmitted Diseases?

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: The aim of the study was to determine women's level of knowledge about STDs, their risky sexual behaviors and the effect of risky sexual behaviors on their level of knowledge about STDs. Methods: The population of this descriptive and cross-sectional study consisted of all women who applied to the gynecology outpatient clinic of a tertiary hospital in Izmir in one year (N=30233). It was determined that at least 380 women should be included in the sample group with the sampling formula with known population and the study was completed with 400 women. Data was collected by face-to-face/individual questionnaire filling method using the Individual Identification Form and Sexually Transmitted Diseases Knowledge Scale (STD-SQ) and analyzed with SPSS 25.0 package program. Results: When the STD knowledge levels of the participants were analyzed, it was found that the highest scores were obtained from the "general knowledge" sub-dimension, the lowest scores were obtained from the "cause and effect" sub-dimension and the total mean score of the test was 7.94±5.89. The mean age of the women was 40.41±12.07 years and the mean age at first sexual intercourse was 22.09±4.14 years. The mean STD knowledge test scores of women who had a history of STD, who had received information on this subject before, who had received this information from health professionals, and who wanted to access this information through health professionals or mass media were found to be statistically significantly higher. It was found that the STD knowledge levels of women who started sexual intercourse at an early age, had more than one partner, had more than one partner, had one-night sexual intercourse, did not use condoms during intercourse, and used alcohol and illicit drugs before intercourse were lower. Conclusions: As a result, it was found that women's knowledge of STDs was low and risky sexual behaviors affected the level of knowledge.