الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract Despite the commonality of STDs, they are one of the most under recognized health problems worldwide. Many people with STDs are asymptomatic and remain undiagnosed. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a major global cause of acuteillness, infertility, long-term disability and death, with serious medical and psychological consequences to millions of men, women and infants. Due to the worldwide prevalent increase of sexually transmitted diseases, the aim of the work was to investigate the local awareness of sexually transmitted diseases among a sample of Egyptian population, including their level of knowledge regarding the mode of transmission and prevention of sexually transmitteddiseases. The study was performed using a questionnaire which was distributed to the general public eliciting information about the knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases. 507 participants were randomly selected amongst kasr-alaini outpatient clinic, medical 1st and 2nd year students and non-medical population aged 18-49. The study showed that the local population of Egypt lacked awareness of sexually transmitted diseases, and they have incorrect perceptions. Most common sources from which information was obtained were primarily mass media rather than school education or doctors. The majority of the participants were familiar with HIV; the most common 3 diseases known by all out of the participants (15.7%) were (HIV, gonorrhea and syphilis) and there was a deficient knowledge of other STDs as Chlamydia, human papilloma virus and hepatitis C, B. there was quite deficient knowledge about condom use as (49.4%) of the participants didn’t know if condom can completely protect from STDs or not. While, (13.4%) of them had the misconception that condom protect 100% from contracting STDs. the majority of them believed that they were at no risk of exposure. And this may contribute to increase the risk of having infection with STDs. Sexually transmitted diseases are common and preventable causes of morbidity and serious complications; thus primary prevention of sexually transmitted diseases needs to be given high priority. Education about sexually transmitted diseases should be addressed early on in schools to encourage premarital screenings and hence help reduce the risk of the possible expansion of infection in Egypt |