The Awareness Of Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Students Nurses

Project and Seminar Material for Nursing (Science)

Abstract

This study was carried out to examine the awareness of sexually transmitted infections among students nurses using University of Nigeria teaching hospital Enugu State. The study was specifically set to determine the level of awareness of sexually transmitted infections among students nurses, assess students nurses knowledge of the causes of sexually transmitted infections among students nurses, and determine the level of nursing students awareness of the health implications of STDs. The survey design was adopted and the simple random sampling techniques were employed in this study. The population size comprise of nursing students of university of Nigeria teaching hospital Enugu State. In determining the sample size, the researcher conveniently selected 160 respondents and 141 were validated. Self-constructed and validated questionnaire was used for data collection. The collected and validated questionnaires were analyzed using frequency tables and mean scores. While the hypotheses were tested using Chi- square statistical tool. The result of the findings reveals that the level of awareness of sexually transmitted infections among students nurses is low. Furthermore, the study revealed that Students nurses knowledge of the causes of sexually transmitted infections among students nurses includes: possession of multiple sexual partner , having sex under intoxication, unprotected sex, oral sex, anal sex. Therefore, it is recommended that there is need to organise functional literacy programmes for porters to build their capacity in basic literacy and numeracy so they can identify and understand some basic STI issues and behave appropriately towards infection prevention. To mention but few.

Table of Content

Title Page
Certification
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Table of Content
List of Tables
Abstract

Chapter One:

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 Objective of the Study
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Research Hypothesis
1.6 Significance of the Study
1.7 Scope of the Study
1.8 Limitation of the Study
1.9 Definition of Terms
1.10 Organisations of the Study

Chapter Two:

Review of Literature

2.1 Conceptual Framework
2.2 Theoretical Framework
2.3 Empirical Review

Chapter Three:

Research Methodology

3.1 Research Design
3.2 Population of the Study
3.3 Sample Size Determination
3.4 Sample Size Selection Technique and Procedure
3.5 Research Instrument and Administration
3.6 Method of Data Collection
3.7 Method of Data Analysis
3.8 Validity of the Study
3.9 Reliability of the Study
3.10 Ethical Consideration

Chapter Four:

Data Presentation and Analysis

4.1 Data Presentation
4.2 Analysis of Data
4.3 Answering Research Questions
4.4 Test of Hypotheses

Chapter Five:

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation

5.1 Summary
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendation
References
APPENDIX
QUESTIONNAIRE

Chapter One

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

STIs are a significant and increasing public health concern worldwide. The global number of new cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis and syphilis in women and men aged 15–49 increased from 333 million cases in 1995 to 357 million in 2012.1 Declining age at first sexual intercourse and inconsistent condom use have been proposed as possible explanations for the increase in STIs.2 STIs are synergistic, meaning that acquiring one can increase the likelihood of acquiring others, including HIV.³Although most STIs can be cured by timely and effective treatment, many are asymptomatic or go undetected.4 Untreated cases of some STIs may lead to serious complications, including cervical cancer, ectopic pregnancy, sepsis, inflammation of the epididymis or testis, infertility, and penile or anal cancer.^5,6

Around one-third of new STIs occur among youth (ages 15–24).⁷Young people are often viewed as being too immature to make the right decisions on important sexual health–related aspects of their lives (e.g., timing their first sexual experience, choosing their sexual partners, obtaining contraceptives). Therefore, parents, caretakers, health care providers and teachers are expected to monitor youths’ decisions about sexual and reproductive health.⁸These key adults in youths’ lives, however, often adhere to sociocultural norms about sexuality.⁸These norms and expectations regarding sexuality often create barriers to sexual health promotion efforts and limit young people’s access toservices. Youth who transgress these norms may experience a high level of stigma, which may lead them to hide their sexual activities and avoid care and treatment for STIs.^8–10

Although it is unclear whether increasing knowledge about STIs would reduce risky behaviors, such knowledge is still considered an important part of sexual health education.^2,21,22 Considering the decreasing age at sexual debut, the rising age at marriage and the introduction of coeducation (men and women attending classes together) at the university level, nursing students should be provided with information about the risks associated with unsafe sexual practices. Sexual health education programs tailored to unmarried youth are limited and no training on sexual health–related topics exists in the school curriculum.^19,23,24 Indeed, in keeping with cultural sensitivities, the promotion of abstinence has been the main theme of most sexual health education efforts. Youth’s exposure to sexual health information is mainly through mandatory premarital courses; a one-credit, undergraduate-level course on family planning (recently suspended as a result of a shift in policies aimed at increasing the national fertility rate25); or the media (e.g., a few documentaries on national television that have discussed HIV and STIs).

1.2 Statement of the Problem

It has been proved that sexual promiscuity is on the rise among youths, particularly those in universities nursing students, engage in unsafe sexual activities, and this raises their risks of developing sexually transmitted diseases or infections (Ogunbanjo, 2012). It is no longer an ancient legend regarding the occurrence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), as it used to be demoted as superstitious. Sexually transmitted diseases exist, much as the famous tagline “AIDS is real,” but the issue is that youths, particularly universities nursing students in undeveloped country, who engage in sexual activities seem to have little or no knowledge about STDs or the proper awareness toward them (Mati, 2015).

1.3 Objective of the Study

The overall aim of this study is to critically analyse the awareness of sexually transmitted infections among students nurses.

Specifically, the study aims at the following:

Determine the level of awareness of sexually transmitted infections among students nurses.
Assess students nurses knowledge of the causes of sexually transmitted infections among students nurses.
Determine the level of nursing students awareness of the health implications of STDs.

1.4 Research Question

The study will be guided by the following questions;

What is the level of awareness of sexually transmitted infections among students nurses?
What are students nurses knowledge of the causes of sexually transmitted infections among students nurses?
What is the level of nursing students awareness of the health implications of STDs?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

Ho: The level of nursing students awareness towards sexually transmitted diseases is high.
Ho: The level of nursing students awareness towards sexually transmitted diseases is low.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The findings of this study if published will be of immense benefits to the ministry of Education, teachers, parents, curriculum developers and the general public.

It is hoped that the findings of this study will spur the Federal Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education to articulate effective programmes on sex education for Students. It is hoped that these ministries will train and equip peer educators who will further educate students on the right knowledge and attitude towards sexually transmitted diseases; steering through it’s related health hazards and consequences.

The study will also help teachers, lecturers and counselors to know and acknowledge students knowledge and attitude to sexually transmitted diseases and how best they can help students in the area of sexuality.

The result of the study will help to reawaken parents and teachers on their roles in educating the adolescents on sexual matters. It will at the same time help to challenge our adolescents to healthy sexual relationships in order to avoid contacting HIV virus and STDs, unwanted pregnancies and abortion among others.

To the general public, it is hoped that the findings of this study will; and especially Elders and the Clergy, they would also acknowledge their personal dispositions to guard the adolescents in words and action towards wholesome attitude and knowledge to sexually transmitted diseases.

1.7 Scope of the Study

This study is structured to generally analysis the awareness of sexually transmitted infections among students nurses. Hence, this study will be delimited to University of Nigeria teaching hospital Enugu State.

1.8. Limitations of the Study

In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents.

In addition, there was the element of researcher bias. Here, the researcher possessed some biases that may have been reflected in the way the data was collected, the type of people interviewed or sampled, and how the data gathered was interpreted thereafter. The potential for all this to influence the findings and conclusions could not be downplayed.

More so, the findings of this study are limited to the sample population in the study area, hence they may not be suitable for use in comparison to other schools, local governments, states, and other countries in the world.

1.9 Definition of Terms

Sexual Behaviour:

This is a process by which humans and other animals demonstrate and/or express sexuality.

Pre-marital Sex:

This is any sexual activity with an opposite sex partner or with same sex partner before he/she has started a marriage life.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs):

Theses are infections that are passed from one person to another through sexual contact.

1.10 Organisations of the Study

The study is categorized into five chapters. The first chapter presents the background of the study, statement of the problem, objective of the study, research questions and hypothesis, the significance of the study, scope/limitations of the study, and definition of terms. The chapter two covers the review of literature with emphasis on conceptual framework, theoretical framework, and empirical review. Likewise, the chapter three which is the research methodology, specifically covers the research design, population of the study, sample size determination, sample size, and selection technique and procedure, research instrument and administration, method of data collection, method of data analysis, validity and reliability of the study, and ethical consideration. The second to last chapter being the chapter four presents the data presentation and analysis, while the last chapter(chapter five) contains the summary, conclusion and recommendation.

Chapter Five

Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations:

5.1 Introduction

This chapter summarizes the findings on the awareness of sexually transmitted infections among students nurses using University of Nigeria teaching hospital Enugu State. The chapter consists of summary of the study, conclusions, and recommendations.

5.2 Summary of the Study

In this study, our focus was to examine the awareness of sexually transmitted infections among students nurses using University of Nigeria teaching hospital Enugu State. Specifically the study was set to determine the level of awareness of sexually transmitted infections among students nurses, assess students nurses knowledge of the causes of sexually transmitted infections among students nurses, and determine the level of nursing students awareness of the health implications of STDs.

The study adopted the survey research design and randomly enrolled participants in the study. A total of 141 responses were validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents are nursing students of university of Nigeria teaching hospital Enugu State.

5.3 Conclusions

Based on the findings of this study, the researcher made the following conclusion

The level of awareness of sexually transmitted infections among students nurses is low.
Students nurses knowledge of the causes of sexually transmitted infections among students nurses includes: possession of multiple sexual partner , having sex under intoxication, unprotected sex,oral sex, anal sex.
What is the level of nursing students awareness of the health implications of STDs is low.

5.4 Recommendations

Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations are proffered.

There is need to organise functional literacy programmes for porters to build their capacity in basic literacy and numeracy so they can identify and understand some basic STI issues and behave appropriately towards infection prevention.
There is a need to implement comprehensive adolescent and young people’s friendly health services to increase students’ access to sexual and reproductive health information and services.
There is a need to ensure that control programs redirect efforts at sexual behaviors that put young people at greater risk of STIs, and target the youths before their sexual debut.
Health-care workers should educate female students and their male partners on the need for them to seek for help concerning their sexual health issues.