Summary
The aim. To analyse and evaluate medical students’ sexual behaviour and knowledge about STIs. Identify the stereotype of an STI specialist.
Material and methods. Anonymous questionnaire survey of medical students. The questionnaire consisted of 38 questions covering knowledge about STIs and contraception, sexual life habits and the stereotype of an STI specialist. Data were analysed with Microsoft Office Excel and IBM SPSS 26.0 programs. Differences are considered statistically significant when the value is less than 0.05 (p<0.05).
Results. The study included 926 respondents with an average age of 21.45, most of them were women (71.16%). 92% of students rated their knowledge about contraception and fertility as excellent or good, 88% of students correctly answered that women are most fertile in the middle of the sexual cycle. 74% rated their knowledge about STI as excellent or good, only 33% of Summary Vitalij Černel, Tadas Raudonis, Valerija Jablonskienė EVALUATION AND COMPARISON OF MEDICAL STUDENTS' SEXUAL LIFE HABITS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS students said that STI rarely causing symptoms. 30% of students think that birth control pills will protect against pregnancy and STIs. 43% of students identified four main characteristics of STIs. Only 10% respondents were able to set proper treatment (even though they were already finished their dermatovenerology cycle). 78% of men and 68% of women had sexual relations, the average age of sexual intercourse was 17 years. Homosexuals have an average of 10.5 sexual partners, heterosexuals 2.5 partners (r=0.892, p<0.05). Barriers are always used by 38% of men and 32% of women, and about 10% of respondents never use them. 24% of men were tested for STIs, 12% were diagnosed with STIs. 23% of women were tested for STIs, 20% were diagnosed with STIs. When choosing a specialist, 65% of women refer to a gynecologist, 78% would choose a young woman as a specialist. 54% of men would consult a general practitioner, 68% of men would choose a male specialist of any age.
Conclusion. Most students rate their knowledge about STIs as excellent or good, but few can answer the questions presented. Men start sexual life earlier and have more partners than female. Homosexuals have both sexual partners and casual sexual relations more than heterosexuals. About half of the respondents do not use or do not always use protection, although only about 4% of respondents have tested for STIs. Most women would go to a young female gynaecologist, men will usually choose General Practitioner of any age.
