Modification of knowledge about sexually transmitted infections and use of condoms in male adolescents

Abstract

Introduction: sexually transmitted infections in adolescence constitute an international problem. In Cuba, there is little education on responsible sexuality. It is necessary to implement knowledge among adolescents through educational interventions to reduce the rate of infection. Objective: to evaluate the effect of an educational program to modify knowledge about sexually transmitted infections. Methods: an educational intervention was carried out during the period from March 2019 to February 2020 in 34 adolescents of the clinic No. 27 of the Policlínico Docente Ramón López Peña, in Santiago de Cuba. The study was divided into three stages: diagnosis, intervention and evaluation, evaluating the knowledge about sexually transmitted infections before and after teaching the classes. McNemar's test was applied to evaluate the changes produced and to infer the results to the rest of the population. Results: 52.9 % initiated sexual relations between 14 and 16 years of age. Thirty-nine percent said they did not use condoms and 47.1% had already had at least one sexually transmitted infection. The initial results showed a lack of knowledge about sexually transmitted infections, types, population at risk, transmission and prevention; once the intervention was carried out, there was a significant change in knowledge about these aspects. Conclusions: the educational intervention was effective; it increased knowledge about sexually transmitted infections in the young people studied, clarifying the doubts that existed at the beginning and positively modifying behavior regarding the use of condoms.

Keywords

• adolescencia
• enfermedades de transmisión sexual
• its
• enfermedades bacterianas de transmisión sexual
• enfermedades virales de transmisión sexual
• sexualidad.