Publications

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) are frequent among young people. This study assessesthe Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) of the Prevention of Sexually TransmittedInfections among adolescents in Bushenyi –Ishaka Municipality, Bushenyi District, WesternUganda. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study applying the quantitative approachmethod. Collected data was cleaned, coded, and entered into Microsoft Excel then analyzedusing SPSS version 20. It was then summarized in the form of tables, pie charts, and bargraphs. Out of the 150 participants, majority 90(60.0%) were aged 14-17 years, male 87(58.0),were in O-Level 94(62.7%) and Catholic 67(44.7). Overall, 78 (52.0%) had adequate knowledge,68 (45.3%) had a good attitude and 62 (41.3%) had adequate practice. Regarding knowledge,the majority 141(94.0) had heard about STI, heard it from school 79(56.0%), knew symptomsof STI 117(78.0%) and abnormal genital discharge was the most known symptom of STI69(59.0%). When asked about the prevention of STI, the majority of the respondents 75(50.0%)gave abstinence, sexual intercourse was the most common mode of transmission of HIVmentioned 91(60.7%) and the majority 124(82.7%) mentioned health facilities as a place toseek STI prevention services. The majority,131(87.3%) of the study participants thoughttesting and counseling is good, disagreed that adolescents were at risk of STIs 95(63.3) and97(64.7) said they would not use condoms even if they were available. When asked if thereare curable and non-curable STIs, the majority 105(70.0%) disagreed,134(89.3%) thought it isnecessary to test a partner before marriage and 119(79.3%) agreed that a person infected withSTI should go to the health facility for treatment. The majority 121(80.7%) of the studyparticipants did not have sex for the past year, mentioned abstinence as the method they usefor prevention 61(40.7%), have ≥2 sexual partners 57(38.0%) and do not use drugs of abuse124(82.7%). The proportion of participants who had good knowledge, attitude, andpreventive practice among adolescents in this study was not satisfactory