Project Materials

AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTION AMONG ADOLESCENTS

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research was to examine teenage STI knowledge and awareness in the Nsukka Education Zone. Five research questions served as headings for the investigation. The total number of kids in the population was 2,931, and they were all day school students from 23 different secondary schools in the Nsukka Education Zone. Ten of the twenty-three senior secondary schools in the Nsukka Education zone were chosen at random from a total of 220. The study issues were addressed by calculating the mean and standard deviation. To evaluate the hypotheses, a t-test was used at a significance level of 0.05. Students in the Nsukka Education Zone had a high degree of awareness of sexually transmitted diseases, according to the key results, which were presented in the order of the study questions. When it comes to sexually transmitted diseases, the students are well-versed. Students’ familiarity with the symptoms and indicators of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) varies by gender. Students’ perspectives on people living with STDs are shaped by their gender as well. The way students in Nsukka Education Zone feel about people who live with sexually transmitted diseases is significantly impacted by their gender. Health care providers should raise students’ knowledge of STDs in secondary schools so that they may take preventative measures, according to the study’s recommendations. A greater effort should be made to educate students about the risks of sexually transmitted diseases via the organisation of seminars and workshops, as well as through the distribution of pamphlets and booklets. The students need to be informed about more ways to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

Teenagers are especially at risk for contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which continue to be a major issue in public health across the world. Adolescence is a pivotal time when young people begin to explore their sexuality and perhaps participate in harmful sexual behaviours. It is a time of tremendous physical, psychological, and social changes. The heightened susceptibility of teenagers in Nigeria to sexually transmitted infections is exacerbated by a confluence of social, cultural, and educational variables.
Adolescents are defined by the World Health Organisation as those who fall between the ages of 10 and 19. Teens go through a lot of changes in their bodies and minds over this time, and those changes may have an impact on their sexual behaviours and decision-making abilities. When it comes to how teenagers in Nigeria learn about sexual health and STIs, the school system, especially in areas like Nsukka Education Zone, is pivotal.
A large number of teenage STI diagnoses go unreported in Nigeria because to stigma, ignorance, and a lack of healthcare access, according to statistics from the country’s Ministry of Health. There has to be focused intervention in school settings, and the situation in Nsukka Education Zone is a reflection of these bigger national tendencies.
As a result of cultural and traditional norms that discourage open dialogue about sexual health, many teenagers in Nigeria get inaccurate or inadequate information on sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Because many students’ only sources of official health information are their schools, the importance of schools offering correct health education grows in this environment.
Various areas of Nigeria have diverse approaches to include sexual health education in the school curriculum. How well these educational programs in Nsukka Education Zone are able to reach their target audiences is highly dependent on the accuracy and clarity of the material covered. In order to create educational interventions that work better, we need to know how much teenagers know and understand right now.
Adolescents’ ability to absorb and make sense of data on STIs has also been impacted by the rise of social media and other forms of modern technology. Although these platforms have the potential to be great educational resources, they also pose a threat of spreading false information. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate and improve students’ skills in identifying reliable health information sources.
Adolescents’ access to and understanding of STI information is heavily influenced by the gender dynamics of Nigerian culture. Gender inequalities in sexually transmitted infection (STI) awareness and knowledge may arise from cultural norms and expectations that cause male and female students to have unequal access to health information.

1.2 Problem Statement
Teens in Nsukka Education Zone are a source of rising worry due to the lack of awareness and proper understanding about sexually transmitted infections (STIs), even though there is information about these conditions available via numerous sources. Many teenagers put themselves at risk of contracting STIs because they have a limited or faulty knowledge about the disease, how it spreads, and how to avoid getting it.
Inadequate sexual health education in schools, cultural obstacles to talking about sexual health, and widespread misconceptions about STIs are all contributing issues. Adolescents are less likely to seek out proper information or essential medical treatment when they are stigmatised for having STIs.
Increased infection rates, postponed treatment seeking, and possible long-term health problems are all outcomes that may result from teenagers’ lack of information and awareness about STIs. In order to devise focused interventions to tackle these issues, it is essential to understand the present degree of awareness and knowledge among teenagers in Nsukka Education Zone.

1.3 Objectives of the study

Adolescents in Nsukka Education Zone will have their sexually transmitted infection (STI) knowledge and awareness levels measured.
1. to assess the degree of STI knowledge among Nsukka Education Zone teenagers.
2. to determine how well teenagers understand STDs and how to avoid getting them.
3  to find out how gender affects teens’ understanding of STDs and their attitudes towards them.

1.4 Research questions

1 how well-informed the teenagers in Nsukka Education Zone are about STDs?
2 How well do teenagers understand STDs, how they spread, and how to protect themselves from contracting them?
3 What role does gender play in shaping teenagers’ understanding and perspective on STDs?