Project Materials

AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENT’S KNOWLEDGE OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study 

Any illness that is typically or frequently spread from person to person through direct sexual contact is considered a sexually transmitted disease (STD); examples include AIDS, gonorrhoea, syphilis, and a genital form of herpes simplex. According to Encyclopaedia Britannica (2008), HPV can also be passed from mother to child before or during childbirth.

Less frequently, it can be spread by nonsexual contact including kissing, tainted blood transfusions, or the use of dirty hypodermic needles.

Similarly, Myless (2001) defined sexually transmitted diseases as those caused by a variety of sexually transmissible pathogens. The researcher defines sexually transmitted diseases as those that can be acquired through unprotected sexual contact.

These conditions may spread to different organs and systems throughout the body, although they typically affect the genitalia, reproductive tract, urinary tract, mouth cavity, anus, or rectum. Students therefore need to understand the effects of these diseases.

“Knowledge” is defined as “general awareness or explicit information about a situation or fact” by the Encarta English dictionary (2008). It also refers to the possession of facts, ideas, beliefs, and principles as well as mental knowledge.

However, according to the definition given above, “attitude” refers to a subjective evaluation, an opinion, or a general feeling about something.

Furthermore, the sensitivity of sexuality and juvenile behaviour appears to impede STD education, even in the face of a greater commitment to STD instruction in schools.

According to experts, sexual views and behaviours in secondary schools today have become more liberal and tolerant (Reiss, 1994, Roche, 1996, Bell and Chaskas, 1990). These experts also mentioned how common premarital sex is in society.

Many people who did not engage in coitus during their secondary school years—a very small percentage, actually—will do so before getting married, claim Unachukwu and Nwankwo (1998). In today’s society, people who abstain from sexual activity prior to marriage appear to be a minority.

Traditional beliefs about the sanctity of sex and its function in reproduction have been abused in Nigeria to support sexually permissive behaviour.

There is proof that a considerable number of Nigerian youth, especially those enrolled in secondary schools, participate in premarital and coital sex (Onyemelukwu, 1993).

In light of this, the World Health Organisation (WHO, 1993) made a clear call to the world’s attention on the rise in the prevalence and spread of STDs.

Since then, the claim has not been challenged by any person or group. Instead, numerous sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have been discovered and are said to be common.

In fact, according to Webster (1992), the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases has increased significantly in recent years, to the point that it is currently regarded as having reached epidemic proportions.

Teenagers’ premarital sexuality is tragic because they engage in regular sexual activity without fully understanding the repercussions (Obikeze, 1997).

From a different angle, Achalu (1996) emphasises the higher risk of infection for people who engage in high-risk behaviours like indiscriminate sex with multiple partners or choosing partners from the streets.

Furthermore, sexual behaviours like anal and oral sex, homosexuality, heterosexuality, and deep kissing are all linked to a higher risk of contracting these diseases, especially the HIV virus, according to Ijezie (1997).

Furthermore, Owolabi (1995) contended that drug abuse, self-medication, sexual promiscuity, homosexuality, and a lack of sexual education among secondary school students are some of the factors contributing to the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases in Nigeria.

According to Chelk (2016), secondary school boys and girls are increasingly going to pharmacies to get condoms and tablets in an attempt to lower the number of STIs.

Similar tablets were once found in the backpacks of several senior secondary students, who appeared to be ignorant of their existence. The researcher wants to know how much students know about preventing sexually transmitted diseases.

1.2 Statement Of The Problem 

Sexual promiscuity among teenagers, especially students, has been shown to be on the rise. Teenagers who participate in risky sexual activities, especially those attending secondary schools, are more likely to contract infections or STDs (Ogunbanjo, 2012).

It was often dismissed as superstitious, but it is no longer an old legend about the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Although there are sexually transmitted illnesses, as evidenced by the well-known slogan “AIDS is real,” the problem is that teenagers who have sex, especially those in secondary school, appear to know very little or nothing about them or how to treat them appropriately (Mati, 2015).

Adolescents seem to be completely unaware of the existence, symptoms, mode of transmission, management, and proper attitude about sexually transmitted diseases due to their desire to experiment and play with sex and related activities (Hamilton, 2012).

But they contended that ignorance does not excuse the horrible outcomes of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. As a follow-up to the last comment, the goal of this study is to ascertain students’ understanding about STDs.

1.3 The Purpose Of The Study

The general purpose of this study is to critically examine students’ understanding about sexually transmitted illnesses. Specifically, the study targets at the following:

1. Ascertain the amount of students’ awareness of the implications of pre-marital sex.

2. Ascertain the extent to which students know of the mode of transmission of STDs.

3. Ascertain the amount of students’ understanding of the control measures of STDs.

1.4 Research Question

The study will be guided by the following questions.

1. What the level of students’ awareness of the consequences of pre-marital sex?

2. What is the extent to which students know of the manner of transmission of STDs?

3. How well-informed are students about STD prevention strategies?

1.5 Significance of the Research

The Ministry of Education, educators, parents, curriculum makers, and the general public will all greatly benefit from the study’s conclusions if they are publicised.

The results of this study are expected to encourage the Federal Ministries of Education and Health to develop successful sex education programs for secondary school pupils.

It is envisaged that these ministries will provide training and resources to peer educators who will teach secondary school students about STDs and help them navigate the associated health risks and repercussions.

Additionally, the study will assist educators and counsellors in understanding students’ attitudes and knowledge regarding STDs and how they may best support them in their sexuality education.

The study’s findings will serve to remind parents and educators of their responsibilities in educating teenagers about sexual issues. At the same time, it will assist in encouraging our teenagers to engage in healthy sexual interactions to prevent HIV infection, sexually transmitted diseases, unintended pregnancies, and abortions, among other things.

To the general public, it is hoped that the findings of this study will; and especially Elders and the Clergy, they would also confess their personal dispositions to guard the adolescents in words and deed towards wholesome attitude and information regarding sexually transmitted illnesses.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The purpose of this study is to analyse students’ general understanding about sexually transmitted illnesses. However, the study will also determine how well-informed students are about the dangers of premarital sex, how well-informed they are about the ways that sexually transmitted diseases are spread, and how well-informed they are about STD prevention strategies. This study will be carried out at Nsukka Education Zone.

1.7. Limitations of the Study

The researcher faced several obstacles in conducting this study, including financial limitations, time limits, language challenges, and respondent attitudes.

There was also the factor of researcher bias. In this case, the researcher’s prejudices might have been evident in the way the data was gathered, the persons who were sampled or interviewed, and the subsequent interpretation of the results. It was impossible to minimise the possibility that all of this would affect the results and conclusions.

Furthermore, because the results of this study are restricted to the sample population in the study area, they might not be applicable to other educational institutions, states, local governments, or other nations worldwide.

1.8 Definition of Terms

The process by which people and other animals exhibit and/or express their sexuality is known as sexual behaviour.

Any sexual behaviour with a partner of the same or opposite sex before they have entered into a marriage is referred to as pre-marital sex.

Infections known as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are contracted through intercourse between individuals.