2015, Cilt 2, Sayı 2, Sayfa(lar) 001-019
University Students' Sexual Behavior and Knowledge Levels on Common Sexually Transmitted Infections in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Özlem AKALPLER1, Kafiye EROĞLU2
1Yakın Doğu Üniversitesi, Hemşirelik, Lefkoşa, Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti
2Koç Üniversitesi, Hemşirelik, İstanbul, Türkiye
Keywords: Sexually transmitted infection, university students, knowledge, sexual behavior

University education is a period where students have significant life styles changes. During this period, young people may undertake risky sexual behavior with effects of physical and psychosocial changes. It would be beneficial to understand young peoples' attitudes about sexual life, to determine their knowledge levels on sexually transmitted infections and risky sexual behaviors in order to protect and develop communities' health care. This descriptive study was carried out to determine university students' sexual behavior and knowledge levels on common sexually transmitted infections (STI). Sample size of study was calculated as 384 from total population of 14762 students. The number of students from each faculty and college at university determined by simple random sampling method. Data was collected with a questionnaire consist of socio-demographic characteristics questions, sexually transmitted infections knowledge questions and sexual behavior questions by the researcher between 01.03.2010 and 14.05.2010. Data was analyzed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows 17.0 programme with percentage, arithmetic average, pearson chisquared, and likelihood ratio. The knowledge level of students were determined with questions. Scoring was done as giving “1” point for each correct answer and “0” point for each “false” and “do not know” answers. The knowledge level of students was found “average” for 40.1% of them, “good” for 36.5% of them and “not good” for 23.4% of them. The findings indicated that almost all students knew AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) was transmitted through “sexual relation” and “blood transfusion”. On the other hand, approximately one third of the students indicated that AIDS was transmitted “from mother to child during childbirth” and half of the students stated that AIDS was transmitted through “commonly used toilets” and “mosquitoes”. It was determined that students; did not give correct answer to transmission, symptoms, treatment and protection of AIDS, gonore, and Hepatitis B; who are sexually active had first sexual experience with people unknown people (44.8%) and did not use any protection during sexual intercourse (45.9%). As a result because students had average knowledge level and risky sexual behavior it is recommended to establish youth counselling units in medical service units at universities and offer continuous as well as active education and counselling services about sexual health.