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Authors
Abstract(s)
Introdução: As infeções sexualmente transmissíveis têm um impacto profundo na saúde
reprodutiva e sexual, sendo um dos motivos pelo qual os adultos mais procuram os
cuidados de saúde. Os adolescentes, apesar de representarem apenas 25% da população
sexualmente ativa, são responsáveis por cerca de 50% dos novos casos de infeções
sexualmente transmissíveis. A sensibilização para a prevenção das infeções sexualmente
transmissíveis a nível escolar tem contribuído para uma diminuição da sua transmissão.
No entanto, parecem ainda existir bastantes dúvidas acerca do risco destas infeções e da
sexualidade em geral, pelo que se torna importante aferir os conhecimentos e
comportamentos adotados pelos adolescentes.
Objetivos: Investigar quais os conhecimentos que os adolescentes entre os 14 e os 19
anos de idade de uma população da região da Beira Interior têm sobre infeções
sexualmente transmissíveis, e averiguar se existem diferenças significativas entre sexos,
por forma a intervir no sentido de melhorar a sua literacia sobre estas doenças.
Materiais e métodos: Trata-se de um estudo observacional, transversal, recorrendo à
aplicação de um questionário no Google Forms, a jovens adolescentes do ensino
secundário de 3 escolas secundárias da Covilhã, tendo sido aprovado pela Direção Geral
da Educação e pela Comissão de Ética da Universidade da Beira Interior. O questionário,
elaborado pelos autores, compreendia 3 secções com questões de escolha múltipla,
“Sim/Não” e de resposta aberta. Na análise estatística foi utilizado o SPSS (Statistical
Package for Social Sciences) versão 28.
Resultados: Foram obtidas 266 respostas válidas ao questionário. A amostra
compreendia 65,4% raparigas e 34,6% rapazes, com uma idade média de 16,16 ± 1,10
anos. Verificou-se que 96,6% dos adolescentes sabia qual a definição correta de infeção
sexualmente transmissível. As infeções mais identificadas foram o Herpes Genital
(88,2%), o VIH (59,3%) e o HPV (56,7%). As principais fontes de informação sobre estas
infeções foram as aulas (79,2%) e a Internet (76,9%), seguidas dos profissionais de saúde
(57,2%). Como formas de transmissão, as mais referidas foram as relações sexuais
vaginais (96,6%), anais (89,1%) e orais (83%) e a partilha de seringas (48,7%). Quanto ao
álcool/drogas, 74,6% considerou que o seu consumo aumentava os comportamentos de
risco, e, 37,8% já teve relações sexuais após consumo destas substâncias, e destes, apenas
21,9% considerou que isso influenciou os seus comportamentos preventivos. As medidas
de prevenção que consideraram mais importantes foram o uso do preservativo em todas
as relações (94,3%) e evitar experiências sexuais com desconhecidos (74,1%). Apesar disso, 23,5% não achou importante usar preservativo em todas as relações, principalmente
se desejo de gravidez ou se excluídas infeções em ambos. De facto, apenas 53,8% dos
adolescentes referiu usar sempre o preservativo. Observou-se uma vacinação contra o
HPV significativamente maior nas raparigas (88,2% vs 29,8%, p<0,001). Quanto à
sexualidade, 28,9% já tinha iniciado relações sexuais, com idade média de início de 14,97
± 1,41 anos. Na 1ª relação sexual, a maioria usou método contracetivo (83,1%), tendo sido
o preservativo o mais usado (80,5%). Apenas 7,9% dos adolescentes já tinha realizado um
teste de rastreio de infeções sexualmente transmissíveis, tendo sido diagnosticada uma
infeção em apenas um adolescente.
Discussão: De acordo com a evidência científica e com os resultados deste estudo,
podemos afirmar que os adolescentes possuem um conhecimento ainda deficitário
relativamente às infeções sexualmente transmissíveis. Para além de conhecerem poucas
das infeções abordadas, revelaram algum desconhecimento no que diz respeito às formas
de transmissão e às medidas preventivas que devem ser adotadas. Também se revela algo
preocupante a atividade sexual relacionada com o consumo de álcool e drogas ilícitas, o
que pode contribuir para comportamentos sexuais de risco. Neste trabalho observaram-se
algumas diferenças entre sexos, verificando-se que as raparigas identificaram
corretamente mais infeções sexualmente transmissíveis, procuravam mais os profissionais
de saúde para esclarecimento de dúvidas e consideravam mais importante o uso do
preservativo em todas as relações sexuais.
Conclusão: Perante o relativo grau de desconhecimento que ainda se verifica acerca
destas infeções e dos comportamentos sexuais preventivos, este trabalho reforça a
necessidade de intervir junto dos jovens no sentido de colmatar estes conceitos,
enfatizando a sua abordagem a nível escolar, e proporcionar meios para que os
profissionais de saúde possam colaborar no seu ensino.
Introduction: Sexually transmitted infections have a profound impact on reproductive and sexual health, being one of the reasons why adults most seek medical care. Adolescents, despite representing only 25% of the sexually active population, are responsible for about 50% of new cases of sexually transmitted infections. The teaching of this subject at school has contributed to a decrease in its transmission. However, despite the availability of reliable information, there still seem to be many doubts about these infections and sexuality in general, making it important to assess the knowledge and behavior adopted by adolescents. Objectives: Investigate the knowledge that adolescents between 14 and 19 years of age from a population in the Beira Interior region have about sexually transmitted infections, and to assess if there are significant differences between both genders, to intervene and improve their literacy in health and sexually transmitted diseases. Materials and methods: This is an observational, cross-sectional study, using a questionnaire on Google Forms, addressing teenagers in high school from 3 schools in Covilhã, and the General Directorate of Education and the Ethics Committee from the University of Beira Interior approved the investigation. The questionnaire, prepared by the authors, comprised 3 sections with multiple-choice, “Yes/No” and open-response questions. In the statistical analysis, SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) version 28 was used. Results: We obtained 266 valid answers to the questionnaire. The sample comprised 65,4% girls and 34,6% boys, with a mean age of 16,16 ± 1,10 years. It was found that 96,6% of adolescents knew the correct definition of sexually transmitted infection. The most identified infections were Genital Herpes (88,2%), HIV (59,3%) and HPV (56,7%). The main sources of information about these infections were school classes (79,2%) and the Internet (76,9%), followed by health professionals (57,2%). As forms of transmission, the most considered were vaginal (96,6%), anal (89,1%) and oral (83%) sexual intercourse and needle sharing (48,7%). As for alcohol/drugs, 74,6% considered that its consumption increased risk behaviors, however, 37,8% had already had sexual intercourse after consuming these substances, and of these, only 21,9% considered that it influenced their preventive behaviors. The preventive measures they considered most important were the use of condoms in all sexual relations (94,3%) and avoiding sexual experiences with strangers (74,1%). Despite this, 23,5% did not think it was important to use a condom in all sexual relations, especially if they wanted to get pregnant or if both were excluded for infections. In fact, only 53,8% of the adolescents reported always using a condom. A significantly higher HPV vaccination was observed in girls (88,2% vs 29,8%, p<0,001). As for sexuality, 28,9% had already started sexual intercourse, with a mean age of onset of 14,97 ± 1,41 years. At the first sexual intercourse, the majority used a contraceptive method (83,1%), with condoms being the most used (80,5%). Only 7,9% of the adolescents had already carried out a screening test for sexually transmitted infections, with an infection being diagnosed in only one adolescent. Discussion: According to scientific evidence and the results of this study, we can state that adolescents still have a lack of knowledge regarding sexually transmitted infections. In addition to knowing few of the infections addressed, they revealed some lack of knowledge regarding the forms of transmission and the preventive measures that should be adopted. Sexual activity related to the consumption of alcohol and illicit drugs is also of concern, which can contribute to risky sexual behavior. In this work, some differences were observed between genders, verifying that the girls correctly identified more sexually transmitted infections than boys, sought more health professionals to clarify doubts and considered the use of condoms in all sexual relations to be more important. Conclusion: Given the relative lack of knowledge that still exists about these infections and preventive sexual behaviors, this study reinforces the necessity to intervene with young people to overcome these concepts and difficulties, emphasizing their approach at a school level, and providing means so that health professionals can collaborate in their teaching.
Introduction: Sexually transmitted infections have a profound impact on reproductive and sexual health, being one of the reasons why adults most seek medical care. Adolescents, despite representing only 25% of the sexually active population, are responsible for about 50% of new cases of sexually transmitted infections. The teaching of this subject at school has contributed to a decrease in its transmission. However, despite the availability of reliable information, there still seem to be many doubts about these infections and sexuality in general, making it important to assess the knowledge and behavior adopted by adolescents. Objectives: Investigate the knowledge that adolescents between 14 and 19 years of age from a population in the Beira Interior region have about sexually transmitted infections, and to assess if there are significant differences between both genders, to intervene and improve their literacy in health and sexually transmitted diseases. Materials and methods: This is an observational, cross-sectional study, using a questionnaire on Google Forms, addressing teenagers in high school from 3 schools in Covilhã, and the General Directorate of Education and the Ethics Committee from the University of Beira Interior approved the investigation. The questionnaire, prepared by the authors, comprised 3 sections with multiple-choice, “Yes/No” and open-response questions. In the statistical analysis, SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) version 28 was used. Results: We obtained 266 valid answers to the questionnaire. The sample comprised 65,4% girls and 34,6% boys, with a mean age of 16,16 ± 1,10 years. It was found that 96,6% of adolescents knew the correct definition of sexually transmitted infection. The most identified infections were Genital Herpes (88,2%), HIV (59,3%) and HPV (56,7%). The main sources of information about these infections were school classes (79,2%) and the Internet (76,9%), followed by health professionals (57,2%). As forms of transmission, the most considered were vaginal (96,6%), anal (89,1%) and oral (83%) sexual intercourse and needle sharing (48,7%). As for alcohol/drugs, 74,6% considered that its consumption increased risk behaviors, however, 37,8% had already had sexual intercourse after consuming these substances, and of these, only 21,9% considered that it influenced their preventive behaviors. The preventive measures they considered most important were the use of condoms in all sexual relations (94,3%) and avoiding sexual experiences with strangers (74,1%). Despite this, 23,5% did not think it was important to use a condom in all sexual relations, especially if they wanted to get pregnant or if both were excluded for infections. In fact, only 53,8% of the adolescents reported always using a condom. A significantly higher HPV vaccination was observed in girls (88,2% vs 29,8%, p<0,001). As for sexuality, 28,9% had already started sexual intercourse, with a mean age of onset of 14,97 ± 1,41 years. At the first sexual intercourse, the majority used a contraceptive method (83,1%), with condoms being the most used (80,5%). Only 7,9% of the adolescents had already carried out a screening test for sexually transmitted infections, with an infection being diagnosed in only one adolescent. Discussion: According to scientific evidence and the results of this study, we can state that adolescents still have a lack of knowledge regarding sexually transmitted infections. In addition to knowing few of the infections addressed, they revealed some lack of knowledge regarding the forms of transmission and the preventive measures that should be adopted. Sexual activity related to the consumption of alcohol and illicit drugs is also of concern, which can contribute to risky sexual behavior. In this work, some differences were observed between genders, verifying that the girls correctly identified more sexually transmitted infections than boys, sought more health professionals to clarify doubts and considered the use of condoms in all sexual relations to be more important. Conclusion: Given the relative lack of knowledge that still exists about these infections and preventive sexual behaviors, this study reinforces the necessity to intervene with young people to overcome these concepts and difficulties, emphasizing their approach at a school level, and providing means so that health professionals can collaborate in their teaching.
Description
Keywords
Comportamentos Sexuais Conhecimento Infeções Sexualmente Transmissíveis Prevenção Saúde dos
Adolescentes