Knowledge and Views of Nursing Students towards Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Relation to the Academic Semesters

Introduction: Inadequate awareness of issues regarding sex and the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) has resulted in a high incidence of these diseases. Aim: To record the knowledge of nursing students about STDs. Method: The study population consisted of 100 students in the nursing department of the Technological Educational Institute of Crete. The data collection took place between June 2012 and December 2012, using a special anonymous closed-ended questionnaire consisting of 13 questions. The response rate was 96%. Statistical analysis was carried out with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 20. Results: The majority of the sample were female students (n=89). The students were lacking in knowledge regarding STDs. A striking 58% were unaware of the clinical picture of STDs and only 39% of the sample was able to identify them. Concerning the prevention of STDs, a large percentage of students (92%) considered regular medical check-ups to be the most suitable method of prevention. Only 60% of the students reported the use of condoms as a precautionary measure for STDs. Conclusions: The results of the survey clearly demonstrated a lack of awareness about STDs among students of the nursing department. There was no correlation between the amount of knowledge of the students and their semester of studies.