Awareness and Knowledge of Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) among Nursing Students in a Tertiary Institution in Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are an umbrella term for a range of contagious diseases typically spread through intimate contact. More than one million cases of STIs occur every day across the globe, the majority of which remain symptomless. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a major global health problem, with more than 340 million new cases occurring every year worldwide.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey that determined levels of awareness and knowledge of Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) among Nursing students in a tertiary institution in Anambra state using descriptive cross-sectional study design. A simple random technique was used to select 209 undergraduates in a tertiary institution in Anambra state.

Results: The respondents were 209 nursing students comprising 13%,24%,31% and 32% of second year, third year, fourth year and fifth year students respectively. The respondents were more female (81.3%) than male (18.7%) gender. The study revealed that 202 (96.7%) are aware of sexually transmitted infections and majority of the respondents got STI information through their friends (95.7%) and Television station (91.9%). Very high percentage of the respondents 198 (94.7%),206 (98.6%), 193(92.3%) and 194 (93%) know that STI affects both men and women, HIV/AIDs, Gonorrhea and Syphilis are STI respectively. However, a lower percentages of respondents 137 (65.6%),135 (64.6%), 131 (62.7%),127 (60.8%), and 106 (50.7%) know that genital warts, Human papilloma Virus, Genital Herpes, Chlamydia and Trichomoniasis to be STIs respectively. Vaginal discharge and painful sextual intercourse were the most well-known signs and symptoms. Almost all the respondents (97.6%) knew that STIs can be prevented but very few (15.3%) knew that STIs can be cured.

There is a need to increase sensitization of young people on sexually transmitted diseases and their complications to improve the knowledge of all prevalent sexually transmitted diseases among youths.