Wolf Hilary T, Teich Hayley G, Halpern-Felsher Bonnie L, Murphy Ramon J, Anandaraja Natasha, Stone Jessie, Kalumuna Charles
Georgetown University Medical Center, 4200 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016.
Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA.
Int J Adolesc Med Health. 2017 Apr 1;29(2). doi: 10.1515/ijamh-2015-0032.
Ugandan adolescents lack sufficient reproductive health knowledge, which accounts in part for the staggering rates of teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted (STI) infections in this population. This study aimed to (1) examine Ugandan adolescents' baseline STI and contraceptive knowledge; (2) determine whether this knowledge varies by demographic factors, prior sexual experience or school grade; and (3) evaluate the effectiveness of an educational program to increase and retain STI and contraceptive knowledge among Ugandan adolescents. This study surveyed 129 adolescents (ages 15-19) regarding knowledge of STIs and contraceptive methods at schools and community non-governmental organizations at three time points. Findings demonstrated that at baseline the mean test scores for contraceptive knowledge and STI knowledge were 44% and 72%, respectively. Participants in higher secondary school grade-levels had greater odds of having prior STI knowledge (OR=19.6, 95% CI 2.0-187.6); participants who had previously engaged in sex had greater odds of having prior contraceptive knowledge (OR=4.62, 95% CI 1.45-14.72). A higher grade level was not associated with better knowledge of contraception; and being sexually active was not associated with better knowledge of STI information. Participants' knowledge of STIs and contraceptives improved after the education session (p<0.001), and knowledge was retained 3-weeks later (p<0.001). Findings suggest that Ugandan adolescents do not have adequate education regarding contraceptive methods and that implementation of reproductive health modules by an outside party can be effective in improving knowledge.
乌干达青少年缺乏足够的生殖健康知识，这在一定程度上导致了该人群中惊人的青少年怀孕率和性传播感染率。本研究旨在：（1）检查乌干达青少年的性传播感染和避孕知识基线；（2）确定这种知识是否因人口统计学因素、既往性经历或学校年级而异；（3）评估一项教育计划在增加和保留乌干达青少年性传播感染和避孕知识方面的有效性。本研究在三个时间点对129名青少年（15 - 19岁）在学校和社区非政府组织中进行了关于性传播感染和避孕方法知识的调查。结果表明，在基线时，避孕知识和性传播感染知识的平均测试分数分别为44%和72%。高中年级的参与者有更高的几率拥有先前的性传播感染知识（OR = 19.6，95% CI 2.0 - 187.6）；先前有过性行为的参与者有更高的几率拥有先前的避孕知识（OR = 4.62，95% CI 1.45 - 14.72）。较高的年级与更好的避孕知识无关；性活跃与更好的性传播感染信息知识无关。在教育课程后，参与者的性传播感染和避孕知识有所提高（p < 0.001），并且在3周后知识得以保留（p < 0.001）。研究结果表明，乌干达青少年在避孕方法方面没有得到充分的教育，外部机构实施生殖健康模块可以有效地提高知识水平。
