Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
FLORA INFEKSIYON HASTALIKLARI VE KLINIK MIKROBIYOLOJI DERGISI, cilt.30, sa.1, ss.20-30, 2025 (ESCI, TRDizin)
Introduction: Medical and nursing students are in the risk group for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) due to their age. In addition, their knowledge regarding STD transmission routes and prevention measures is of social importance, as they are responsible for informing patients after graduation. We aimed to evaluate the knowledge levels and sexual behaviors of medical and nursing students about STDs. Materials and Methods: The descriptive study included first, fourth, and fifth-year students from the faculty of medicine and first and fourth-year students from the faculty of nursing at a state university. The "STDs Knowledge Scale" (STD-S) and "Sexuality and Sexual Behavior Form" were administered to participants in a classroom setting. Students were asked to answer questions about their human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination status and condom use. Results: Two hundred eighty students participated in the study, including 213 medical and 67 nursing students. The mean age of the students was 20 +/- 1.9 years; 43.9% were female. Forty-three point six percent of the students reported that they had sexual intercourse, 35.7% reported oral sex, 13.6% reported having anal sex experience, and 30.7% reported having an active partner. The rate of HPV vaccination among medical and nursing students was 8.2% and the rate of condom use among those with active sexual partners was 52.3%. When students were divided into first and upper years, it was observed that the upper-year students achieved statistically significantly higher scores than first-year students in the STD-S total score and all sub-dimensions. Less than 50% of the students answered 15 out of the 25 items in the STD-S correctly. Their understanding of symptoms of chlamydia, and gonorrhea, as well as the transmission routes of HPV and herpes simplex virus, was found to be insufficient. Conclusion: First-year medical and nursing students are vulnerable to STDs, indicating the need for education on this topic starting from the first year. HPV vaccination rates and condom use among students are notably low. Early and effective educational initiatives are essential to help medical and nursing students protect their personal health.