Biomaterial Database

What do young people from Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina know about contraception and sexual health? 2004

Sanja Selak, and Vesna Jurić, and Darko Hren, and Mario Jurić

Mostar University Medical School, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. sanjaselak@hotmail.com

OBJECTIVE To determine the knowledge of adolescents living in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, about contraception and sexual health. METHODS We used an anonymous questionnaire to survey a random sample of 120 high school students, 60 from two general high schools and 60 from a vocational school. There were 30 male and 30 female students aged 15-17 years from each type of school. The questionnaire consisted of 24 questions: 17 tested the students' knowledge on the menstrual cycle, contraception, emergency contraception, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and six inquired how they obtained the information on these issues. Student t-test was used to test for score differences between male and female students, and between general high school and vocational school students in their general and specific knowledge. Pearson's r coefficient was used to test the correlation between average grades and knowledge. RESULTS Female students had greater general knowledge (t=3.69, df=118, p<0.001), knowledge on contraception (t=3.66, df=118, p<0.001), and knowledge on STDs (t=2.71, df=118, p=0.008) than their male peers. General high school students also had greater general knowledge (t=2.44, df=118, p=0.016), and knowledge on contraception (t=2.18, df=118, p=0.031) or STDs (t=2.36, df=118, p=0.020) than their vocational school peers. Major sources of information were magazines (69%), TV/radio (50%), school (37%), and friends (36%). The most common reason that kept our examinees from obtaining information on these issues was shame (52%). The two most common contraception methods known to them were a condom (82%) and contraception pill (77%), whereas 17% of all students were unfamiliar with any contraception method. When asked what could be done to improve their knowledge on sexuality, contraception, and STDs, most students opted for the inclusion of sexual education into the school curricula. CONCLUSIONS Female students knew more about contraception and sexual health than their male peers. Young people should be provided with more information on sexual health.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007722	Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice	Knowledge, attitudes, and associated behaviors which pertain to health-related topics such as PATHOLOGIC PROCESSES or diseases, their prevention, and treatment. This term refers to non-health workers and health workers (HEALTH PERSONNEL).	Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
D008297	Male		Males
D011795	Surveys and Questionnaires	Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions.	Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D003267	Contraception	Prevention of CONCEPTION by blocking fertility temporarily, or permanently (STERILIZATION, REPRODUCTIVE). Common means of reversible contraception include NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING METHODS; CONTRACEPTIVE AGENTS; or CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES.	Birth Control,Contraceptive Methods,Female Contraception,Fertility Control,Inhibition of Fertilization,Male Contraception,Contraception, Female,Contraception, Male,Contraceptions, Female,Contraceptions, Male,Contraceptive Method,Female Contraceptions,Fertilization Inhibition,Male Contraceptions
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000297	Psychology, Adolescent	Field of psychology involving the study of normal and abnormal behavior of adolescents. It includes mental processes as well as observable responses.	Adolescent Psychology
D012749	Sexually Transmitted Diseases	Diseases due to or propagated by sexual contact.	Venereal Diseases,STDs,STIs,Sexually Transmitted Infections,Disease, Sexually Transmitted,Disease, Venereal,Diseases, Sexually Transmitted,Diseases, Venereal,Infection, Sexually Transmitted,Infections, Sexually Transmitted,STI,Sexually Transmitted Disease,Sexually Transmitted Infection,Transmitted Infection, Sexually,Transmitted Infections, Sexually,Venereal Disease
D017522	Bosnia and Herzegovina	A country of eastern Europe, formerly the province of Bosnia in Yugoslavia, uniting with the province of Herzegovina to form the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1946. It was created 7 April 1992 as a result of the division of Yugoslavia and recognized by the United States as an independent state. Bosnia takes is name from the river Bosna, in turn from the Indoeuropean root bhog, "current"; Herzegovina is from the Serbian herceg (duke) + -ov (the possessive) + -ina (country or territory).	Bosnia and Hercegovina,Bosnia-Herzegovina,Bosnia