Conhecimento, atitude e prática de adolescentes escolares sobre a prevenção e transmissão de doenças sexualmente transmissíveis.

Abstract

Adolescence is a transitional stage between childhood and adulthood. At this stage there are physical and psychosocial changes, there is also the longing for sexuality and individual desires. Such factors may lead teenagers to various situations of vulnerability and risks for STD/HIV/AIDS, related to sexual intercourse and lack of knowledge about prevention and transmission of these diseases. This research aims to analyze the knowledge of adolescent students about prevention and transmission of STI/HIV/AIDS in a public school in Cajazeiras-Paraíba, compare the conditions of vulnerability for these diseases between males and females, compare the knowledge about STI/HIV/AIDS between males and females and also identify factors associated with adequate knowledge of these adolescents. This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study with quantitative approach, performed at the Cristiano Cartaxo State Preparatory High School. The sample was intentional, consisting of 188 adolescent students who fit into the inclusion criteria. Data were collected in February 2015 through a structured questionnaire after signing ICF and Free and Informed Consent. For data processing we used the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 21.0, these were analyzed using simple descriptive statistical, part of them correlated by the chi-square test of Pearson, with significance at p <0,05 and discussed in light of literature. The study was approved by the IRB of the Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG) campus Cajazeiras with the number N°941.598. The results showed that most of adolescents were between 17 and 19 years old, female, non-white, catholic, without partners, living with their parents, whom were low-income and low-education. Regarding the concept and the ways of prevention from STD/HIV/AIDS, girls demonstrated more knowledge than boys, although both knew the manner of transmission. The most well known disease was AIDS, and the school was the main source of information, and for minority parents and health centers, especially among female adolescents. Much of the boys reported that condoms decrease sexual pleasure, that they would have sex without a condom and also have used legal drugs. Sexual intercourse were initiated by the majority of boys at the mean age of 14.33 years old, which showed a greater increase in the use of condoms. Both genders reported not to accede the use of condom due to decrease of sexual pleasure. The drugstore was the main place of purchasing condoms, especially for girls and health centers were more popular for the boys. It is expected that this paper will contribute for the promotion of educational strategies and integrated attention to adolescent’s health, reducing vulnerability to STD/HIV/AIDS.