A Study Of Std Treatment Seeking Behavior Among Adolescent Students In Asuogyaman District Eastern Region

ABSTRACT A study to determine some factors that affected STD treatment seeking behaviour among adolescents students in Senior Secondary School was carried out in the Asuogyaman District of the Eastern Region of Ghana in May 1997. In all 62 students who had suffered STDs in the past were respondents to the questionnaire. Seventy one percent (71%) of respondents were males and 85.5% of respondents were aged between 17 and 20 years. 62% usually lived in a rural area. All respondents had some knowledge about STDs and each could mention at least one STD. Forty percent (40%) knew AIDS as an STD and 95% attributed STD’s to having sex with an infected individual. The study revealed that 93% of respondents perceived a hospital/clinic as the best source of STD treatment and yet only 3 4 % actually sought treatment from a hospital/clinic during their STD episode. Some reasons for this apparent discrepancy were that of high charges, inconvenience in the use of hospital/clinic and the wish of the afflicted to conceal their identity to avoid embarrassment. Other sources of treatment used by the remaining 66% were self-medication, herbalists, nurse acquaintance, friends. Chemical shops were the most common source used by respondents.