The knowledge and behaviors of teacher candidates regarding sexually transmitted diseases, HPV, and the HPV vaccine

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have many effects on people's sexual and reproductive health. These include pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, cancer, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). While STDs affect individuals of all ages, they have a particularly severe impact on young people. Adolescence is a critical period in life and is associated with various health risks, including sexual health issues such as STDs or teenage pregnancies. Proactively involving young people in measures that encourage positive attitudes toward sexual health helps them protect themselves from chronic diseases in the future. This study was conducted to examine the knowledge and influencing factors of Pamukkale University Faculty of Education students studying Primary School Teaching and Preschool Teaching about STDs, HPV, and the HPV vaccine. The population of the study consisted of 253 students from the Primary School Teaching program and 364 students from the Preschool Teaching program, totaling 617 students in the 2023-2024 academic year. Aiming to reach the entire population, the study was conducted with 469 students, which represents 76% of the population. Data were collected using a 36-question survey. A total of 469 students participated in the study. Of these students, 80% (n=375) were female and 20% (n=94) were male. It was found that 16.2% of the students had sexual experience, and the average age of first sexual experience was 19.5 years. Male students had a higher rate of sexual experience and had it at a younger age compared to female students (p=0.0001, p=0.002). 51.8% of the students stated that they had received information about STDs, with the media being the most common source of information. Male students received more information than female students (p=0.0001), while female students received more information from school compared to male students (p=0.018). 82.7% of the students knew that using a condom during every sexual encounter is an effective measure against STDs. Among those who had sexual experience, 73.7% used condoms during their first sexual experience. Most students had heard of the HPV vaccine, but only 5 students had received the HPV vaccine. When asked why they did not want to get the HPV vaccine, the most common response was "lack of sufficient information." It is important to prioritize education about STDs and HPV and to prepare targeted programs. Keywords: Sexually transmitted diseases, HPV, HPV vaccine, university students.