TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT................................................................................................................... i
COPYRIGHT...............................................................................................................iii
APPROVAL ................................................................................................................ iv
AUTHORISATION...................................................................................................... v
DEDICATION............................................................................................................. vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.......................................................................................... vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS...........................................................................................viii
LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................xiii
LIST OF TABLES..................................................................................................... xiv
LIST OF ACRONYMS: ............................................................................................. xv
DEFINITION OF KEY TERMS ............................................................................... xvi
CHAPTER ONE........................................................................................................... 1
1.0 Introduction............................................................................................................. 1
1.1 Background............................................................................................................. 1
1.2 Problem statement................................................................................................... 3
1.3 Purpose of the study................................................................................................ 4
1.4 Specific objectives.................................................................................................. 5
ix
1.5 Research questions.................................................................................................. 5
1.6 Justification of the study ......................................................................................... 5
CHAPTER TWO .......................................................................................................... 7
LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................. 7
2.0 Introduction............................................................................................................. 7
2.1 Socio demographic factors influencing high prevalence of sexually transmitted
diseases among the youths............................................................................................ 7
2.2 Assessment of knowledge about preventive measures towards sexually
transmitted diseases by the youths................................................................................ 9
2.3 To determine the risk behaviors associated with high prevalence of sexually
transmitted diseases among the youths....................................................................... 10
CHAPTER THREE .................................................................................................... 12
METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................... 12
3.0 Introduction........................................................................................................... 12
3.1 Study Design and Rationale.................................................................................. 12
3.2 Study Setting and rationale ................................................................................... 13
3.3 Study population and rationale ............................................................................. 13
3.5 Sampling procedures............................................................................................. 14
3.6 Selection criteria. .................................................................................................. 15
x
3.6.1 Inclusion criteria. ............................................................................................... 15
3.6.2 Exclusion criteria. .............................................................................................. 15
3.7 Study variables...................................................................................................... 15
3.7.1 Dependent variables........................................................................................... 15
3.7.2 Independent variables. ....................................................................................... 16
3.8 Research instruments. ........................................................................................... 16
3.9 Data collection procedure. .................................................................................... 16
3.10 Data Management ............................................................................................... 17
3.11 Data Analysis and presentation........................................................................... 18
3.12 Quality control techniques.................................................................................. 18
3.13 Ethical consideration........................................................................................... 18
3.14 Study limitations. ................................................................................................ 19
3.15 Dissemination of results...................................................................................... 19
CHAPTER FOUR....................................................................................................... 20
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS ............................................................ 20
4.0 Introduction........................................................................................................... 20
4.1 Bio-demographic and social characteristics of respondents................................. 20
4.2 Assessment of knowledge on preventive measures by the youth towards sexually
transmitted diseases. ................................................................................................... 23
xi
4.3 Risk behaviors influencing the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections..... 27
CHAPTER FIVE ........................................................................................................ 30
DISCUSSION OF THE STUDY FINDINGS, CONCLUSION,
RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLICATION TO NURSING PRACTICE.......... 30
5.1 Introduction........................................................................................................... 30
5.2 Discussion of study findings................................................................................. 30
5.2.1 Demographic and social characteristics............................................................. 30
5.2.2 Assessment of knowledge on preventive measure by the youth towards sexually
transmitted diseases. ................................................................................................... 34
5.2.3 Risk behaviors influencing prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases among
the youth...................................................................................................................... 37
5.3 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 39
5.4 Recommendation .................................................................................................. 40
5.5 Implication to the nursing practice ..................................................................... 41
REFERENCES ........................................................................................................... 42
APPENDICES ............................................................................................................ 46
Appendix I: Consent Form.......................................................................................... 46
Appendix II: QUESTIONNAIRE............................................................................... 47
APPENDIX III: INTRODUCTORY LETTER .......................................................... 52
ABSTRACT Sexually transmitted diseases have remained an important global health issue with an estimated one million people acquiring new infections every day, youth shoulders the burden of more than half of all new STDs. Folasayo et al (2017) A quantitative cross-sectional descriptive study employed simple random sampling technique to assess factors influencing high prevalence of STDs among the youths attending KIU-TH Ishaka Municipality Bushenyi District. The results were as follows, modal age range was 20-24 years, and female youths were 55% of study population. Level of education was fair (43.3% had attained secondary education) which fostered knowledge on STDs prevention; majority were urban dwellers (66.6%) where risky activities into sex are common. 95% had heard about STDs, 49.1% from friends and relatives and a few from health workers. They knew well HIV (100%) gonorrhea (86%) STDs but not Hepatitis B (17.5%). majority (52.8%) knew condom use, but only 24.5% and 11.3% knew abstinence and faithfulness for STDs prevention respectively. 90% had had sexual intercourse, where 48.1% of them started sex at early age (15-19) years. 81.4% had had multiple sexual partners while only 38.9 had used protective measure (Condom), while others used none or wrong methods. Involvement into risky behaviors was high as 83.3%, 93.3%, 73.3% and 58.3% involved in unprotected sex, peer groups, multiple sexual partnership and alcoholism respectively. Researcher concluded that socio-demographic factors influence high prevalence of STDs being female sex, youths’ unemployment leading to cash sex, single life and dwelling in urban centres. Knowledge regarding prevention of STDs was fair, youths knew STDs and prevention measures, but not risky behaviors for acquisition of STDs, commonly known preventive method being condom use but not faithfulness and abstinence. The knowledge gaps denoted are greatly attributed to relatives and friends being major sources of knowledge on STDs prevention but not health workers, radios or TVs. Despite the fact that they had fair knowledge, prevention practices were so poor in that, they started sexual intercourse at an early age, had multiple sexual partners , where majority admitted to have ever had unprotected sex, protective measures being less utilized while others using wrong methods like COCs and withdraw as STDs preventive measure. Poor STDs prevention methods being attributed to knowledge deficit and involvement into risky behaviors like peer pressure, alcoholism, multiple partners among others that were highly practiced which increase their chances of STDs acquisition hence high prevalence