Assessment of knowledge on sexually transmitted infections and sexual risk behaviour in two rural districts of Bhutan

BMC Public Health

Tshokey¹  Sontosh Mukhia³  Kunzang Norbu² 

[1]Clinical Microbiologist, JDW National Referral Hospital, Thimphu, Bhutan

[2]Medical Officer, Basic Health Unit, Gasa Dzongkhag, Bhutan

[3]Medical Officer, Basic Health Unit, Zhemgang Dzongkhag, Bhutan

关键词: Bhutan;    Zhemgang;    Gasa;    Risky behaviour;    Knowledge;    STI;   

Others  :  1161489
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2458-13-1142

 received in 2013-06-06, accepted in 2013-11-27,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background

The incidence of STI is high and increasing in Bhutan. Poor understanding of risky sexual behavior could be a cause. Comprehensive community surveys have not been previously done. This study was conducted to assess local knowledge on STIs and sexual risk behaviour in two rural districts of Bhutan: Gasa and Zhemgang.

Methods

The study population included residents aged 15–49 years in the two districts. Health Assistants (HAs) visited all households to distribute questionnaires assessing understanding of knowledge on STIs and risk behaviour. Questionnaires were scored and analyzed.

Results

The average score was 61.6%. Respondents had highest knowledge about prevention and lowest about disease and complications. There was a positive correlation between level of education and knowledge on STI (P < 0.05). Almost 37% of students scored low. Nearly one-third of the study population was practicing risky sexual behavior with 31.2% having sexual relationships with non-regular partners and 10.9% had extramarital sexual contacts. Regular use of condoms with non-regular partners was 49.1%. The most common reason for not using condom was unavailability during the sexual encounter. The study showed that despite increasing knowledge there was no reduction in risky sexual behaviour (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

The study population had variable understanding of STIs and their complications. One in three persons practiced risky sexual behaviour, higher in men. Condom use was low. There was no reduction of risky sexual behaviour with increasing level of knowledge indicating that increasing level of knowledge does not necessarily reduce risky sexual behaviour.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Norbu et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

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