Factors Associated with Sexually Transmitted Infections among Women of Child-Bearing Age in Makululu Compound of Kabwe district, Zambia
Abstract:
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a
public health problem globally. About 376 million new infections of the four main
curable STIs are reported annually. In Zambia, as well as in many countries in sub-Saharan
Africa, STIs are a major public health problem. Studies conducted mostly in the
urban areas of Zambia show that the majority of young people engage in risky sexual
behavior despite evidence suggesting widespread awareness about STIs. Therefore,
the purpose of this study was to determine factors associated
with STIs among women of child-bearing age in the Kabwe district, employing a cross-sectional
study design. The sample size was 405, and data was collected using structured interview
questionnaires. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression using (SPSS) version 21 was used to analyze the data.
The results showed that women engaged themselves in sexual activity at a much younger
age of between 16-20 years. Despite women having a high level of knowledge of STIs,
some still were involved in having more than one sexual partner, and this was statistically
significant. Inconsistency in condom use by women was a risk factor in influencing
a history of STI, and their attitudes showed that they have misconceptions regarding
condom use, as some participants felt that condoms were not safe to use to prevent
STIs during a sexual encounter. The current study, therefore, revealed that knowledge
of STI alone is not adequate in providing protection from STI contraction and that
behavioral factors must always be taken into consideration for any effective intervention.
Keywords:
Condom, knowledge, STIs, Women.
References:
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a
public health problem globally. About 376 million new infections of the four main
curable STIs are reported annually. In Zambia, as well as in many countries in sub-Saharan
Africa, STIs are a major public health problem. Studies conducted mostly in the
urban areas of Zambia show that the majority of young people engage in risky sexual
behavior despite evidence suggesting widespread awareness about STIs. Therefore,
the purpose of this study was to determine factors associated
with STIs among women of child-bearing age in the Kabwe district, employing a cross-sectional
study design. The sample size was 405, and data was collected using structured interview
questionnaires. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression using (SPSS) version 21 was used to analyze the data.
The results showed that women engaged themselves in sexual activity at a much younger
age of between 16-20 years. Despite women having a high level of knowledge of STIs,
some still were involved in having more than one sexual partner, and this was statistically
significant. Inconsistency in condom use by women was a risk factor in influencing
a history of STI, and their attitudes showed that they have misconceptions regarding
condom use, as some participants felt that condoms were not safe to use to prevent
STIs during a sexual encounter. The current study, therefore, revealed that knowledge
of STI alone is not adequate in providing protection from STI contraction and that
behavioral factors must always be taken into consideration for any effective intervention.
Keywords:
Condom, knowledge, STIs, Women.
