Adolescent Girls' Knowledge and Attitudes Towards STIs and HIV in South Delhi
Author Information
Author(s): McManus Alexandra, Dhar Lipi
Primary Institution: Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University of Technology
Hypothesis
What are the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of adolescent girls towards STIs/HIV and safer sex practices?
Conclusion
There is a significant need for gender-based sex education regarding STIs, safe sex options, and contraceptives in schools in India.
Supporting Evidence
- More than one third of students had no accurate understanding of the signs and symptoms of STIs other than HIV/AIDS.
- 30% of respondents believed HIV/AIDS could be cured.
- 49% felt that condoms should not be available to youth.
- 41% were confused about whether the contraceptive pill could protect against HIV infection.
Takeaway
Many young girls in India don't know much about STIs and safe sex, so it's important to teach them about it in schools.
Methodology
A cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire was conducted among 251 female students from two senior secondary schools.
Limitations
The study only included urban school girls and may not represent the knowledge and attitudes of all adolescents in India.
Participant Demographics
Participants were 251 female students aged 14 to 19 years, primarily Hindu, from two senior secondary schools in South Delhi.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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