Reproductive health: knowledge and opinions of university students in Erzurum,Turkey

Background: The aim of this study was to assess knowledge of reproductive health and the opinions of university students towards reproductive health education and family planning services. Methods: A questionnaire about reproductive health knowledge and the opinions of students was submitted to 673 systematically and randomly selected students at Ataturk University. A set of 39 questions was used to determine the level of knowledge of reproductive health. Results: The level of reproductive health knowledge was below the theoretical mean value. An association was found between gender, residential area, parents' education and sibling number with the reproductive health knowledge score. Most of the students approved of formal reproductive health education (88.4%). Approval of family planning services was lower than that of reproductive health education (71.6%). The percentage of men who support family planning services and reproductive health education was lower than that of women. Students who had graduated from Islamic religious schools had more negative opinions towards family planning services. Conclusions: University students lack knowledge about reproductive health and most of them agree that reproductive health education should be given in schools. Knowledge about reproductive health differs significantly depending on some sociodemographic variables. Some students have negative opinions towards family planning services and reproductive health education.     

Reproductive health knowledge, attitude and practice among high school students in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

This study was carried out to investigate the reproductive health knowledge, attitude and practice of high school students in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaire and focus group discussions. The study revealed that the students had high level knowledge of contraceptives and where to obtain contraceptive services; however, level of use was low. Some of the reasons given for not using contraceptives include lack of access to services, carelessness, unplanned sexual intercourse and pressure from sexual partner. The study indicates that young people engage in sexual relationships at an early age without protection or with unsafe non-conventional methods. There was no significant difference between the demographic variables and contraceptive use at first intercourse. Educational level of the respondents was the only demographic variable that had significant association with sexual experience (p < 0.05). We recommend improved access to family planning information and services and family life education programmes based on the needs and experience of these young people as a potential solution to alleviate their reproductive health problems.     

Reproductive health in individuals with homozygous beta-thalassemia: knowledge, attitudes, and behavior.

OBJECTIVE: To review the reproductive health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of persons with homozygous beta-thalassemia. DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: Patients treated at a tertiary hospital and community-based healthy controls. PARTICIPANT(S): One hundred and thirty persons, 16 years of age or older, who had homozygous beta-thalassemia and were attending hospital for regular blood transfusion, and 99 demographically matched persons without thalassemia. ASSESSMENT TOOL: Reproductive health questionnaire. RESULT(S): 104 (80%) persons with homozygous beta-thalassemia completed the questionnaire and were compared with 99 controls. Persons with homozygous beta-thalassemia were as likely as healthy peers to be in a relationship, employed full-time, sexually active, and using contraception and to have had children. Hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism was present in 55 (52.8%) patients, 46 (83.6%) of whom were compliant with hormone replacement therapy. Understanding of genetics and reproductive potential was suboptimal among persons with homozygous beta-thalassemia, and this group had a higher rate of unplanned pregnancy. CONCLUSION(S): This study suggests that with optimal therapy, most young adults with homozygous beta-thalassemia can achieve reproductive, sexual, and social experiences similar to those of their healthy peers.     

Sexual attitudes and behaviors among medical students in Dokuz Eylul university, Turkey.

Gaining a healthy sexual attitude and behavior and being able to show appropriate approaches to patients in terms of sexual issues are important acquisitions for medical students. The aim of the present study was to determine, compare, and evaluate the sexual attitudes and behaviors of Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Medicine students. An anonymous questionnaire was filled in by first- and sixth-year students in order to determine their sexual attitudes and behaviors. While information sources in the adolescence period for both genders were friends in the first place, these sources were mostly mothers, books, newspapers--magazines for females, and newspapers--magazines and television for males. The opinion of males about having sexual intercourse before marriage for males was positive, and females were more tolerant about males having this experience before marriage as compared to females having sexual experience before marriage. Rates of expression of having sexual intercourse and masturbation were found to be higher for male students. The first sexual experience with a sex worker or sentimentally insignificant partner was high among males. In general, the rate of condom use was lower, and the rate of coitus interruptus was found to be higher than in foreign studies. All the students declared 'my own will and values' as the most frequent factor affecting their sexual attitudes and behaviors, and high rates for 'social factors', 'religious requirements', 'the expectations of families', and 'protection from sexually transmitted diseases' were observed. The findings lead to the conclusions that gender differences exist in the sexual attitudes and behaviors of medical students; the enhancing effect of the traditional structure on gender discrimination is still continuing; students are not provided with sufficient scientific approach or training prior to the university education; and beyond biomedical training, they should receive more support in those fields during their medical education.     

Prevalence and predictors of dysmenorrhea among students at a university in Turkey

Objective

To determine the prevalence of dysmenorrhea among Turkish university students and to evaluate the effects of sociodemographic characteristics on the condition.

Method

A cross-sectional survey of 857 students conducted by questionnaire in April 2007 at a university in Turkey. A visual analogue scale was used to assess the severity of dysmenorrhea. Data were analyzed using the χ² test and logistic regression analysis.

Results

The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 55.5% (444 out of 800 women). Risk of dysmenorrhea was approximately 1.5-times higher in women with a satisfactory spending allowance (OR 1.49; 95% CI, 1.05-2.13); 3.5-times higher in women with a family history of dysmenorrhea (OR 3.48; 95% CI, 2.54-4.78); 1.5-times higher in women who were underweight compared with overweight/obese women (OR 1.52; 95% CI 0.99-2.33); 1.6-times higher in women who reported a history of smoking (OR 1.57; 95% CI, 1.10-2.25); and 1.8-times higher in women with an excessive sugar intake (OR 1.77; 95% CI, 1.15-2.72).

Conclusion

The high prevalence of dysmenorrhea among Turkish university students is a significant health problem that requires attention.     

Menstruation: symptoms, management and attitudes in university students.

The aim of the study was documentation of the attitude towards and management of menstruation in Afrikaans speaking university students. Of 130 questionnaires issued, 102 (78.5%) were analysed. Severe symptoms occurred in 23% of the women. Premenstrually, the major symptoms were irritability, moodiness, breast tenderness, skin changes and increased appetite. During menstruation, dysmenorrhea was the most important symptom. Although only 17.6% of the women consulted a physician during the 2 years preceding the study, 47.1% used medication for symptoms. Seventy-six (74.5%) of the women accepted menstruation as an integral part of a woman's life whereas 19.6% preferred not to menstruate. In this latter group, the majority reported severe symptoms. Fear of consulting a physician for menstrual symptoms was documented.     

Sexual attitudes,behaviour changes and opinions of interns in Izmir,Turkey

Objectives?To evaluate sexual attitudes, behaviour and opinions of students at the end of their medical education studies in Izmir, Turkey, and compare findings with the results of the study carried out when they were first-year students.

Methods?A cross-sectional and longitudinal study, with data collected via a questionnaire.

Results?‘Friends’ were most often mentioned as the source of their personal sexual information by students on both occasions. Use of the ‘internet’ increased significantly during the five years. Pornography and health professionals/specialists' also gained in importance but remained among the less frequently used sources of information. The most frequent factor affecting sexual attitudes and behaviour for both years was ‘my own desire and values’. Most (74.8%) interns had taken only a few sexual health histories and 16.5% never; 35% believed their education would enable them to take one. Nearly half (48.5%) said being a medical student changed their opinions on sexuality and 25.7% said they changed their behaviour.

Discussion?Although changes were observed in sexual attitudes, behaviour and opinions between the two questionnaires many problems still exist. This study may add to the improvement of medical education regarding sexual health education and its practices.     

Sexual behavior and knowledge of sexually transmitted infections among university students in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Objective

To investigate the sexual behavior and knowledge about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among undergraduate students in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Methods

Self-reported questionnaires were used.

Results

Most of the 447 students in the study were single (97.3%), in their first year of university (87.7%), and the mean ages were 20.4 years (males) and 19.8 years (females). Vaginal intercourse was practiced by 69.7% of males and 48.4% of females, oral sex by 64.5% of males and 43.7% of females, and anal sex by 18.4% of males and 14.1% of females. Use of a condom during vaginal sex was practiced by 80.4% of males and 74.8% of females and during anal sex by 47.8% of males and 30.0% of females. Knowledge of transmission of STIs was greater than 90% for HIV, syphilis, genital herpes, and gonorrhea; 63%-76% for HPV and genital warts; 30%-34% for Trichomonas and only 16% for Chlamydia. Only 25%-34% knew that HIV was transmitted by breastfeeding; 56%-60% knew that HIV was transmitted by anal sex.

Conclusion

Many students engage in high-risk sexual behavior with multiple partners and use condoms inconsistently. Knowledge of the acquisition and modes of sexual and vertical transmission of HIV are strikingly deficient.     

Brazilian obstetrician-gynecologists and abortion: a survey of knowledge,opinions and practices

Background  

Abortion laws are extremely restrictive in Brazil. The knowledge, opinions of abortion laws, and abortion practices of obstetrician-gynecologists can have a significant impact on women's access to safe abortion.     

A survey of knowledge, attitudes and practices relating to emergency contraception among health workers in Manisa, Turkey

OBJECTIVE: to determine knowledge, attitudes and practices relating to emergency contraception among health-care providers (general practitioners, nurses and midwives). DESIGN: a cross-sectional design using face-to-face interview methods plus questionnaire in the work setting. Researchers were able to maintain privacy by using priority strategies. SETTING: 18 primary health-care units in Manisa, western Turkey. SAMPLE: 182 health-care providers (general practitioners [n = 72]; nurses and midwives [n = 110] were invited to participate in the study, but 26 of them declined. PARTICIPANTS: 156 health-care providers. As 16 participants had not heard of emergency contraception, 140 health-care providers (general practitioners [n = 51] and nurses and midwives [n = 89]) were included. FINDINGS: of the health-care providers, almost one in 10 was unfamiliar with the term 'emergency contraception'. Only a few health-care providers knew how to use the intra-uterine contraceptive device (IUCD) for emergency contraception and the doses of emergency contraceptive pills. Some health-care providers included emergency contraception in routine consultations, but many did not support the use of emergency contraception in Turkey. Many of the providers thought that young people should not know about emergency contraception. KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: knowledge among health-care providers about emergency contraception is inadequate. All health-care providers should know about emergency contraception and include it in routine contraceptive consultations. Thus, continuing education information programmes are required. Further research into the knowledge, practices and attitudes of health-care providers is needed to understand the underlying reasons for the hesitant attitudes among health professionals.     

Emergency contraception: knowledge and practices of tertiary students in Durban, South Africa.

The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, use and attitude to the use of emergency contraception among tertiary students in Durban, South Africa through the use of a self-administered confidential questionnaire. A scoring system was developed to analyse the response of each student. A total of 436 students (56.5%) had heard of emergency contraception. Few knew the specific methods of emergency contraception and only 11.8% knew the correct time limit in which it must be used. Only 60 students (7.8%) knew how effective emergency contraception was in preventing pregnancy. Ninety-one students (11.8%) had used emergency contraception and 50% responded that if they had to, they would use it or recommend it to a friend. A logistic regression model showed that the predictors for a high knowledge score were: University of Natal students, having heard of emergency contraception, having used it before and having received formal sex education. Overall, knowledge and use of emergency contraception by tertiary students is limited. There is a need for carefully designed education programmes and promotion of emergency contraception on campuses.     

Reproductive health and human rights.

Reproductive health programs should adopt an approach based on human rights at the levels of clinical management as well as national policy, especially those programs responsible for abortion and post-abortion care. Resource-poor women face greater maternal mortality and morbidity, suffer continuous risk because of a lack of access to adequate reproductive health services, and are likelier than more affluent women to resort to unsafe, inaccessible, and/or unaffordable abortion services. The public health and medical communities are highly effective when providing safe abortion procedures and treatment in the event of complications. Efforts must be continued to develop strategies to prevent unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and abortion-related deaths; to treat abortion complications; to broaden the types of medical and health professionals who are allowed to perform abortions; and to enhance training for abortion providers.     

A survey of providers’ knowledge, opinions, and practices regarding induced abortion in Jamaica

Objective

To determine the stance of providers in Jamaica regarding the suggested change in abortion law and proposal to train providers.

Methods

A face-to-face anonymous survey of 35 obstetrician-gynecologists (Obs) and 228 general practitioners (GPs) in Kingston was used to assess knowledge, opinions and practice.

Results

Demand for abortion was high: 94.7% of GPs and 100% of Obs had been asked to perform an abortion. Although 50.7% of GPs and 70.6% of Obs had performed abortions, 81.2% and 88.6%, respectively, had referred women to another provider. Training was more likely for Obs (65.7% versus 52.2%; P < 0.001). Patient assessment was appropriate, but written guidelines, counseling, and social services referral were uncommon. More Obs knew the laws (62.9% versus 42.5%; P = 0.052). Most participants did not agree to abortion under any circumstance, but only 25.3% had moral or religious objections, and only 9.4% refused to perform abortions because they were illegal. Most providers felt that abortions should be made more accessible, and almost all felt that abortions should be performed only by Obs.

Conclusion

Demand for abortions is high in Jamaica, but many doctors refer clients to another provider. Patient assessment is good, but support services need improvement.     

Nigerian lawyers and reproductive health rights: a survey of knowledge, practices and opinions on law reforms among the bar and bench in north eastern Nigeria

The objective of this study was to determine the knowledge and attitudes of practicing Nigerian lawyers towards issues relating to reproductive health and reproductive rights, and their opinions about abortion law reform. It was a population- based study which consisted of interviews with practicing lawyers in north-east Nigeria. The results showed poor knowledge of issues related to reproductive health and reproductive rights among the lawyers. However, the majority (56.9%) disagreed that a woman can practice family planning without the consent of her husband. The prevalence of contraceptive use among the lawyers was low and attitude to abortion law not satisfactory. Only few lawyers (22.4%) supported safe abortion in cases of failed contraception. We conclude that reproductive health advocates must target legal professionals with a view to educating them on issues relating to sexual and reproductive health and rights. Lawyers in Nigeria should undergo capacity building in reproductive health laws and be encouraged to specialize in reproductive rights protection as obtainable in other developed countries.