AWARENESS ON RISK FACTORS OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTION

AND SEXUAL RISK BEHAVIORS AMONG STUDENTS OF CAVITE STATE

UNIVERSITY

AGUITEZ, MARK LEONARD S.

ANTE, MISHAEL F.

A thesis manuscript presented to the faculty of the College of Nursing, Cavite State

University, Indang Cavite, in partial fulfillment of the requirements in research. Prepared with

the supervision of Mrs. Nenita B. Panaligan, RN, MAN.

Introduction

As time goes on, countries around the world become more industrialized and modernized.

As part of it, life of people became more easy when modern technologies introduced to them.

However, as these continue to multiply problems unbalancing the society exists too.

Nowadays, issues regarding reproductive health are being published in newspapers to

television and radios around the world. People around the world are aware about the existence of

this pandemic infections, but do they really know how this diseases being acquired?. How aware

they are? This became a public health problem to both industrialzed and developing countries

around the globe. Mostly in many developing countries like Philippines and other neighboring
countries had their rampant cases of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s) due to exploitation

and human trafficking and considering the poor management of National Health Department in

implementing different programs to control the spread of this infections.

Sexually transmitted disease also known as Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) or

Venereal Disease (VD), is an illness that has significant of transmission between humans or

animals by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse oral sex and anal sex.

While in the past, these illnesses has mostly been referred to us STD or VD, in recent years the

term sexually transmitted infection has been preferred, as it has a broader range of meaning; a

person may be infected and may potentially infect others, without showing signs of disease.

Some STI’s can also be transmitted via the use of needles after its use by an infected person.

WHO stated that sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are infections that are spread

primarily through person-to-person sexual contact. There are more than 30 different sexually

transmissible bacteria, viruses and parasites.

The most common conditions they cause are gonorrhea, Chlamydia infection, syphilis,

trichomoniasis, chancroid, genital herpes, genital warts, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

infection and hepatitis B infection.

Several, in particular HIV and syphilis, can also be transmitted from mother to child

during pregnancy and childbirth, and through blood products and tissue transfer.
 Sexually transmitted infections have impact in all dimensions of person’s life. STI can

negatively influence a person’s self concept and may profoundly affect a person’s entire life and

his family.

Society, often associate STI’s with discrimination and socially unacceptable behaviors.

This makes most persons afflicted with STI hesitate immediate treatment and often the disease is

on its progress stage before the infected individual finally decides to consult health care

practitioners. Therefore, health organizations need to educate high risk individuals on prevention

of STI’s. Furthermore, health practitioners need to be alert to indicators of STI’s since prognosis

can be influenced by early diagnosis and treatment.

Statement of the problem

This study aims to determine the awareness of Cavite State University (CvSU) students

on risk factors about Sexual Transmitted Infections (STI) and their sexual risk behaviors.

Specifically, it’s sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of

1.1. Gender

1.2. Age

1.3. Civil status

1.4. Educational attainment

2. What are the sexual risk behavior among CvSU students?

3. What is the level of awareness on the risk factors of STI’s among Cvsu students?

4. Is there a relationship between demographic profile and level of awareness on risk factors of

STI’s among CvSU students?

5. Is there a relationship between demographic profile and sexual risk behavior of CvSU

students?

6. Is there a relationship between level of awareness and sexual risk behavior among CvSU

students?
Objectives of the study

Generally, the study aims to determine the awareness and risk factors about STI’s and

sexual risk behaviors among students of Cavite State University (CvSU).

Specifically, it aims to;

1. Determine the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of

1.1. Gender

1.2. Age

1.3. Civil status

1.4. Educational attainment

2. Identify the sexual risk behavior among CvSU students

3. Identify the level of awareness on risk factors of STI’s among CvSU students

4. Determine the relationship between demographic profile and level of awareness on risk

factors among CvSU students

5. Identify the relationship between demographic profile and sexual risk behavior among CvSU

students

6. Determine the relationship between level of awareness and sexual risk behavior among

CvSU students
Hypothesis

Ho- There is no relationship between demographic profile and level of awareness on risk

factors of STI’s among CvSU students.

H1- There is no relationship between demographic profile and sexual risk behavior of

CvSU students.

H2- There is no relationship between level of awareness and sexual risk behavior among

CvSU students.
 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

DOROTHEA OREM

SELF-CARE THEORY

NURSING-“The act of assisting others in the provision and management of self-care to

maintain/improve human functioning at home level of effectiveness”

• Focuses on activities that adult individuals perform on their own behalf to

maintain life,health and well being.

• Has a strong health promotion and maintenance focus

• Identified 3 related focus:

1. Self-care- activities of an individual performs independently trouhgout life to promote

and maintain personal well-being.

2. Self-care deficit- results when self-care agency (individual’s ability) is not adequate to

meet known self-care needs.

3. Nursing system- nursing interventions needed when individual is unable to perform the

necessary self-care activities:

3.1 Wholly compensatory- nurse provides entire self-care for the individuals.

3.2 Partial compensatory- nurse and individual perform care, individual can perform

selected self-care activities, but also accepts care done by the nurse for needs of the

individual that cannot meet independently.

3.3 Supportive educative- nurse’s actions are to help the client develop/learn their own

self-care abilities through knowledge , support and encouragement.

Conceptual Framework

Input Outcome

Demographic

Profile:

Age:

Gender:
Sexual Risk

Civil Status: behavior

Educational

Attainment:

Level of awareness
on risk factors of
sexually
transmitted
infections (STI’s)
Figure 1.1

The input consists of demographic profile of the respondents including the level of their

awareness on risk factors of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s) and on its outcome is to

determine their sexual risk behavior that contribute to the risk of acquiring Sexually Transmitted

Infection (STI’s).
Significant of the study

The result of the study will benefit the following:

Nursing students- This study can help nursing students to use as a secondary data and as a

comparative baseline data for future researches regarding level of awareness on risk factors of

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s) and sexual risk behavior among students of CvSU.

They can utilize this study to formulate their health teaching plans and such development of

programs and to participate in the promotion of health.

Future Researchers- This study will serve as reference for the future researchers and use as a

secondary data.

Respondents- This study can help the respondents to comprehend the importance of awareness

on risk factors of STI’s for them to identify the proper intervention and management regarding to

their health especially to those who has risky sexual behavior.

CvSU Administrator- This study can help the CvSU Administrators like Office of the Students

Affairs (OSA) to facilitate programs regarding health promotion and counseling to the student

who are in need for proper guidance .

Scope and limitation

The scope of the study mainly focuses on the awareness on risk factors about sexually

transmitted infection and sexual risk behaviors among students of Cavite State University.

This study is limited only to selected students of 4 Colleges in Cavite State University

and situations that may include client-imposed restrictions upon the interview, restrictions

beyond the client's control, or the existence of other conditions precluding necessary interview

procedures.
Definition of terms

Abstinence- The act or practice of abstaining; voluntary forbearance of any action

Circumcision- Surgical procedure in which the prepuce of the penis or the prepuce of the clitoris

is excise.

Chlamydia- Bacterial disease can cause pelvic pain, painful intercourse, and burning and painful

urination and a foul vaginal discharge.

Contraception- the deliberate prevention of conception or impregnation by any of various

drugs, techniques, or devices; birth control.

Genital Herpes- Acute painful genital sores

Genital Warts- Soft, moist warts in genital and anal area

Gonorrhea- Chronic pelvic and abdominal pain from adhesions and scaring and infertility

Infertility- The condition of being unable to produce offspring compares sterility

Menarche- First menstrual period

Placenta- formed in the lining of the uterus by the union of the uterine mucous membrane with

the membranes of the fetus

Protozoan- Any of a large group of single-celled, usually microscopic, eukaryotic organisms,

such as amoebas, ciliates, flagellates, and sporozoans.

Syphilis- a chronic infectious disease, caused by a spirochete, Treponema pallidum, usually

venereal in origin but often congenital, and affecting almost any organ or tissue in the

body, esp. the genitals, skin, mucous membranes, aorta, brain, liver, bones, and nerves.

Trichomoniasis- a sexually transmitted disease typically asymptomatic in men and resulting in

vaginitis with a copious, frothy discharge and itching in women, caused by a

trichomonad Trichomonas vaginalis.

 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Vaginal, anal, and oral intercourse place young people at risk for HIV infection and other
sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Vaginal intercourse carries the additional risk of
pregnancy. In the United States

• In 2007, 48% of high school students had ever had sexual intercourse, and 15% of high
school students had had four or more sex partners during their life.1

• In 2007, 39% of currently sexually active high school students did not use a condom
during last sexual intercourse.1

• In 2002, 11% of males and females aged 15-19 had engaged in anal sex with someone of
the opposite sex; 3% of males aged 15-19 had had anal sex with a male.2

• In 2002, 55% of males and 54% of females aged 15-19 had engaged in oral sex with
someone of the opposite sex.2

• In 2006, an estimated 5,259 young people aged 13-24 in the 33 states reporting to CDC
were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, representing about 14% of the persons diagnosed that
year.

• Each year, there are approximately 19 million new STD infections, and almost half of
them are among youth aged 15 to 24.

• In 2002, 12% of all pregnancies, or 757,000, occurred among adolescents aged 15-19.

In addition, young people in the United States use alcohol and other drugs at high
rates.Adolescents are more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors, such as unprotected sex,
when they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.7 In 2007, 23% of high school students
who had sexual intercourse during the past three months drank alcohol or used drugs before last
sexual intercourse.

Abstinence from vaginal, anal, and oral intercourse is the only 100% effective way to prevent
HIV, other STDs, and pregnancy. The correct and consistent use of a male latex condom can
reduce the risk of STD transmission , including HIV infection. However, no protective method is
100% effective, and condom use cannot guarantee absolute protection against any STD or
pregnancy.

HIV/STD prevention education should be developed with the active involvement of parents, be
locally determined, and be consistent with community values. It should address the needs of
youth who are not engaging in sexual intercourse as well as youth who are currently sexually
active, while ensuring that all youth are provided with effective education to protect themselves
and others from HIV infection and STDs now and lifelong.

http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/sexualbehaviors/index.htm
 According to the Department of Health (DOH), the number of Filipinos who had STI’s as

of 2002, contracted the Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) stood at a mere 1,503. Now

compare that to the numbers which, according to figures from the joint United Nations Program

on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), showed 7.1 million people in the Asia-Pacific region with HIV at the

end of 2001 out of a total 40 million people world wide. An estimated 1.07 million people in

Asia Pacific region got infected in 2001 alone, with close to half a million death due to AIDS,

the disease HIV causes, in the same year.

Yet the Philippines only reported a grand total of 1, 503 cases of HIV which is one of the

lowest infection rates in the world. This, in a country that has one of the lowest rates of condom

usage in Asia. This in a country that has anywhere from half a million to 2 million, a good

majority of whom don’t require their customers to wear condom. This in a nation that has more

than seven million overseas workers, separated from spouses and often engaging in risky sexual

behaviors. This in a country that, as of the moment has practically no awareness program to

teach the exploding population of young people about the danger of HIV/ AIDS. -DOH

Facts on Sexually Transmitted Infections in the United States (2009)

• More than two dozen bacterial, viral or parasitic infections are known to be transmitted largely
or exclusively through sexual contact. U.S. public health authorities focus on a limited set of
these STIs, taking into account how common and contagious each STI is, how easy it is to detect
and treat, and how much impact it may have on public health.

• In most cases, infection does not have a major, lasting impact on an individual’s health if she or
he seeks proper treatment. Although they can lead to serious health complications if left
untreated, human papillomavirus (HPV) and the bacterial infections chlamydia, gonorrhea and
syphilis can be successfully treated or cured. At the other end of the STI spectrum is HIV/AIDS,
which is still considered to be ultimately fatal. However, early treatment with antiretroviral drugs
and other medical and lifestyle interventions can greatly delay the onset of the disease, and with
high-quality care, HIV-positive people can live many years with minimal symptoms.
• Because the most common STIs are “silent” in that they are often asymptomatic, estimates of
the incidence (new cases) and prevalence (total existing cases) of most STIs are difficult to
make. Many asymptomatic STIs can be diagnosed only through testing, yet routine screening is
not widespread. In addition, it is difficult to measure trends in the incidence and prevalence of
STIs because of changes in reporting systems and testing methods. As a result, increases in
reported cases may be due to improved testing and reporting, rather than true upsurges in
incidence or prevalence.

• The most recent national estimates, now a decade old, suggest that there are approximately 19
million new cases of STIs each year, half of them among 15–24-year-olds, and that 65 million
Americans have at least one viral STI, most commonly genital herpes.

• Direct medical costs associated with STIs in the United States are estimated at $14.7 billion
annually in 2006 dollars. More than $8 billion is spent each year to diagnose and treat STIs and
their complications, not including HIV.

• For some population subgroups, primarily blacks and men who have sex with men, high
prevalence of STIs within the community can be a risk factor in itself, since individuals are more
likely to encounter an infected partner. High community prevalence of STIs can be a symptom of
other problems in the community, such as a lack of access to health care, poverty, unemployment
and other persistent social and economic discrimination.

• Whereas white Americans acquire STIs predominantly through high-risk sexual behaviors,
black Americans acquire them through both high- and low-risk behaviors because levels of
infection within the black population are high.

http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/FIB_STI_US.html

Understanding the determinants of sexually transmitted disease (STD) acquisition among

adolescents and young adults is critical to assess interventions designed to limit the spread of

STDs. One set of interventions — adopted by numerous organization sand directly supported by

federal policy — are programs that encourage abstinence by encouraging adolescents to make

pledge store main virgins until marriage. This article considers the relationship between

adolescent virginity pledges and the sexual behavior of young adults, focusing on STD

acquisition. In 1993, “TrueLoveWaits” initiated a movement to encourage adolescents to pledge

to abstain from sex until marriage. By 1995, an estimated 2.2 million adolescents
(12%ofalladolescents) in the United States had taken such pledges. Earlier research demonstrated

that adolescent virginity pledges were associated with a significant delay on the baseline rate for

the transition to first sex. Although pledging was associated with delayed sexual initiation, the

pledge effect was deeply shaped by social context, most importantly, the number of other

students in the community that pledged and the social structure of the community with respect to

the patterning of friendships. The pledge appears to work where public commitment to abstain

from sex is encoded into shared group activities, thus enhancing identification with the

movement and encoding promise to remain a virgin into the larger social fabric.

-HannahBrückner,Ph.D. ,andPeterBearman,Ph.D.

A recent spate of articles by journalists describing patterns of oral sex among middle

school students in particular communities has heightened in-terest in understanding the

prevalence of this and other nonvaginal sexual activities among young teenagers.*

Much of the in-formation about these activities has been col-lected in nonrepresentative

surveys of teen-agers, however.! Although the prevalence of vaginal sexual experience is closely

mon-itored at the national level because of its at-tendant risks of unintended pregnancy and

sexually transmitted disease (STD) trans-mission, little attention has been paid to other,

nonvaginal sexual activity, even though oral and anal intercourse also expose youth to STDs. To

address this gap in in-formation, we provide estimates of the in-cidence of various sexual

practices from the 1995 National Survey of Adolescent Males. We also examine how reports of

these prac-tices have changed from 1988 to 1995. -Gary J. Gates and Freya L. Sonenstein

2001
 Ninth graders surveyed in two California pub-lic schools had more experience with oral

than with vaginal intercourse, and their intended behavior in the next six months favored oral

sex. The teenagers estimated that they have less chance of becoming pregnant or con-tracting

chlamydia or HN if they engage in oral sex than if they have vaginal intercourse, as well as less

chance of jeopardizing their relation-ship or their reputation, getting into trouble or feeling guilty

about their behavior. Re-spondents expressed greater acceptance of oral sex than of vaginal

intercourse for youth their age, and said that oral sex is the more preva-lent behavior among their

peers. The survey was conducted in 2003 as part of a longitudinal study of the relationship be-

tween risk and benefit perceptions and sexual activity. In all, 580 ninth graders, with an aver-age

age of 14.5 years, completed the self-administered questionnaire; 58% were female and 42%

male. Forty percent of respondents were white, 24% Hispanic, 17% Asian and the rest members

of other ethnic groups. Roughly equal proportions said that their mothers were college graduates,

had some college education and had a high school education or less.

Finally, when asked to estimate the prevalence of behaviors and intentions among youth

their age, respondents said they believed that 47% of their peers of had had oral sex, but that only

41 % had had vaginal sex. Similarly, they anticipated that in the next six months, a larg-er

proportion will have oral sex than will have vaginal sex (39% vs. 34%), and a smaller pro-

portion will choose not to have oral sex than not to have vaginal intercourse (42% vs. 45%).

They thought that 27% will wait until they are married to have oral sex, compared with 31 % for

vaginal sex.

The researchers acknowledge a number of limitations to their study, notably that the

survey defined vaginal but not oral sex for participants, and that the data do not permit an

assessment of causal relationships between perceptions and behavior. Nevertheless, they contend
that the findings have critical public health implications. They conclude that "to help adolescents

make informed sexual decisions, parents, health care providers, and other educators must

broaden their clinical and educa-tional efforts"; in particular, these efforts should cover the

possible health, emotional and social consequences of all sexual behaviors, coital and noncoital,

as well as methods for preventing unhealthy outcomes.-D. Hollander 2004

Adolescents and young adults are examined because of growing incidence of STI. The

average age of menarche among young girls has declined and the majorities for male and female

teenagers are sexuality active at age of 19.-Hockenberry and others, 2005

According to an Australian study of foreign sex workers, most prostitutes are not aware

they can contract STI through oral sex. The study, which will be presented to the international

association for dental research meeting June 28- July 1 in Brisbane, found that sex workers knew

the dangers of vaginal sex but not oral sex.

Nair said there had been few studies on awareness levels among Australian workers but

international trends indicated a general ignorance in the region. -According to Maria

McMahon 2006

STI can be caused by bacteria, viruses, protozoa and fungi. Anyone who engage in

intimate physical contact can contract and transmit STI. Many health workers providers do not

always acknowledge that fact, specially in regard to middle class, upper class or older clients.

Although younger people have the highest rates for STI (86%), all age groups are at risk. The

fetus or neonate can be infected across the placenta or during the vaginal birth. -Hawks, 2002
 The incidence of STI in the United States has the highest rates of STI in the industrialize

world Center for Diseases Control and Prevention CDC, 1999 the prevalence of STI is a major

health concern because treatment is costly and the incidence is high in minority populations of

low socio economic status. Prevalent STI include syphilis, gonorrhea, Chlamydia, trichomoniasis

and infection with HPV and herpes simplex virus respectively. It is transmitted from an infected

individuals to partners during intimate sexual contact. The site of transmission is usually genitals

but it may also be oral genital or anal genital. Hose person most likely to be infected share one

key characteristics unprotected sex with multiple partners.- Potter, 2004.

AIDS

AIDS is a mysterios and tragic illness in which the body’s protective immune system becomes
unable to ward off infections. It was first recognized in the U.S as a separate entity in 1981.
Those at greater risk of this disease are homosexual and bisexual males and their sexual
partners and drug abusers of bothe sexes who injects drugs into their veins. Scientific
evidences now indicates that a retrovirus is a causative agent and that this virus occurs in the
blood,saliva or the semen of person afflicted. The virus easily transmitted from person to
person by intimate contact. A person without symptoms may harbor the virus and transmit it
to his sexual partners. The number of reported cases continues to increase alarmingly. The
illness consist of various kinds of infection, often involving the lungs plus the development
in about one third of the cases of a malignancy of the skin (Kaposi’s sarcoma). The
incubation period may be as long as two years. As yet there is no specific treatment and the
mortality rate is 70-90 percent within two years. Now that the causative virus has been
identified , some progress is being made in developing a vaccine but absolutely prevention is
yet in the future.

Modern Medical Guide (revised edition 2001) Harold Shryock, M

Chlamydia and Gonorrhea

• Chlamydia and gonorrhea are bacterial infections that can be cured with antibiotics.

• Untreated chlamydia and gonorrhea infections in women may lead to pelvic inflammatory
disease (PID), a serious infection that itself may lead to ectopic pregnancy, infertility and chronic
pain. Evidence suggests that roughly 10–40% of untreated chlamydia cases will lead to PID and
that as many as 20% of women with PID will develop infertility. Forty-two percent of young
women were tested for chlamydia in 2007, compared with only 25% in 2000.

• Chlamydia and gonorrhea must be reported to state health departments and the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2007, the CDC reported 1.1 million chlamydia
diagnoses and 356,000 gonorrhea diagnoses. However, since most chlamydia and gonorrhea
cases go undiagnosed or unreported, the true number of new infections is probably much greater.

• In 2007, the overall reported rate of chlamydia infection among women (544 cases per 100,000
females) was almost three times the rate among men (190 per 100,000 males).

• Blacks are the group most heavily affected by chlamydia and gonorrhea. The reported rates of
both infections are 9–19 times higher among blacks than whites. Although the magnitude of
these disparities may be distorted due to discrepancies in reporting, the disparities are real.

• Rates of gonorrhea and chlamydia are heavily concentrated among young people. Young
women aged 15–24 are hit hardest by chlamydia, with rates more than five times as high as
women overall.

• Routine screening for chlamydia among women younger than 26 is widely recommended by
the CDC and major medical associations, and it is considered to be a cost-effective and
underutilized form of preventive health care by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force because
of its potential for helping to reduce rates of pelvic inflammatory disease.

• The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that clinicians screen all sexually active
women, including those who are pregnant, for gonorrhea infection if they are at increased risk
for infection (that is, if they are young or have other individual or population risk factors).

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

• HPV is an extraordinarily common viral infection in the United States, so much so that it has
been described as a virtual “marker” for having had sex. The CDC estimates that 20 million
people are currently infected with HPV, 6.2 million Americans become infected each year and at
least 50% of sexually active individuals will acquire an HPV infection at some point in their
lives.
• Most HPV infections cause no clinical problems and resolve on their own without treatment.
(As many as 91% of new infections clear up within two years. Certain HPV strains lead to
genital warts. These warts can be removed, but if the immune system fails to clear the virus
entirely, symptoms may reappear. Other HPV strains are deemed “high-risk” because they
occasionally develop into a persistent infection that can progress to cervical cancer if left
untreated, usually over the course of decades.

• The incidence of cervical cancer in the United States has been on the decline for some time,
and today cervical cancer is rare, relative to the incidence of HPV infection. The American
Cancer Society estimates that 11,000 cases will occur among American women this year,
resulting in 4,000 deaths.

• The major reason cervical cancer rates in this country are low today—despite high rates of
HPV infection—is the widespread availability and use of Pap tests. Pap tests can detect not only
early-stage cervical cancer, which is highly treatable, but also cervical dysplasia—precancerous
changes of cervical cells which can linger for years—allowing for the removal of affected tissue
long before invasive cancer sets in.

• Pap tests are fairly common in the United States, but 17% of American women aged 18–64 in
2005 had not been tested in the past three years.These women account for the majority of
cervical cancer diagnoses.

• In 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved an HPV vaccine that protects
against the four key strains of HPV that account for 70% of cervical cancers and 90% of genital
warts. The three-dose vaccine can be given to girls as young as age nine, but is recommended for
girls aged 11–12, with catch-up vaccinations recommended for those aged 13–26.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

• HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. HIV can be transmitted through the blood, sexual fluids or
breast milk of an HIV-infected person.

• Since 1981, when the first AIDS cases were identified, more than 1.6 million Americans have
been infected with HIV, and more than 540,000 have already died. Roughly 56,000 new HIV
infections occur each year—a number that has remained stable since 2000. An estimated 1–1.2
million individuals in the United States are living with HIV.

• Of new HIV infections in 2006, 53% were among men who had sex with men; 31% resulted
from heterosexual contact; 12% resulted from injection drug use; and 4% were among men who
had sex with men and also used injection drugs.

• In 2006, women accounted for 25% of HIV/AIDS diagnoses among adolescents and adults, and
men for 75%. However, among infections that resulted from heterosexual contact, women
account for a growing majority. Eighty percent of women diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in 2006
contracted the virus through heterosexual contact.
• Among both males and females, blacks have the highest rates of new infections. Although
blacks make up approximately 13% of the U.S. population, they accounted for almost half of the
estimated new HIV/AIDS diagnoses in 2006.

• In 2002, half of men and women aged 15–44 reported that they had been tested at least once for
HIV (other than through blood donation);20 15% had been tested in the past 12 months.

• Close to 40% of people who test positive for HIV are diagnosed with full-blown AIDS within
one year, and the majority of those who get an HIV test late in the course of their infection do so
because they are already ill.

• Current federal guidelines recommend that HIV testing be a standard part of medical care for
every American aged 13–64, that more people be tested and that people be tested sooner. In
2006, as many as one in five individuals with HIV may have been unaware of their status, down
from one in four in 2003.

Other STIs

• Other common STIs include viral infections, such as herpes and hepatitis A and B, which are
incurable but treatable; and bacterial and parasitic infections, such as syphilis and trichomoniasis,
which can be cured with antibiotics.

• Syphilis, hepatitis A and hepatitis B are required to be reported to state health departments and
the CDC. In 2007, the most infectious stages of syphilis—primary and secondary—were
diagnosed in about 11,500 Americans.The estimated number of new hepatitis B virus infections
was 46,000, while only 4,800 acute clinical cases were reported in 2006. An estimated 1.5
million people in the United States have chronic hepatitis B.

• Although other STIs are not required to be reported to the CDC, estimates are available for
some. The CDC estimates that one out of five adolescents and adults have had a genital herpes
infection. Although genital herpes is incurable and can cause painful sores and psychological
distress, it has become increasingly manageable in the United States.

• About 7.4 million new cases of trichomoniasis occur each year.Left untreated, trichomoniasis
can be an irritant, causing vaginal discharge, discomfort during intercourse and painful urination.

• Late-stage syphilis can, years later, cause irreversible damage to the nervous system and heart,
possibly leading to blindness, insanity, paralysis and death.

• Hepatitis B can cause inflammation of the liver, and chronic cases can cause liver cell damage,
which can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and cancer. It is estimated that 5,000 people die each year
in the United States due to the complications of cirrhosis and liver cancer as a result of hepatitis
B.

• Herpes, trichomoniasis and many other STIs have two other very real health consequences.
First, they can increase an individual’s susceptibility of HIV infection. Second, they can have
serious negative health outcomes during pregnancy and childbirth. Therefore, public health
authorities have put an emphasis on testing and treating women during pregnancy.

http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/FIB_STI_US.html

Methodology

This chapter describes the materials, equipments and the procedures used in the

preparation for the actual experiment phase.

Research Design

This study used the descriptive research method. This method involves collecting data in

order to take hypothesis or answer question regarding the subject of the study.

Target Population/ Study subjects

This study will focus among college students of Cavite State University to determine the

awareness on risk factors of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s) and their sexual risk

behavior.

Sampling type and technique

The study will be utilizing probability and non-probability sampling in collecting data.

The technique to be use in the study is the systematic sampling which the data are being
collected with every nth of the population. Quota sampling is also going to utilize which the

researchers going to identify the strata of the population needed in the study.

Researh Instrument

A questionnaires is develop and being utilize in conducting this study and collecting data

regarding the study ; and enable to determine the awareness on risk factors of sexually

transmitted infection and their sexual risk behavior among students of Cavite State University by

answering the prepared questions.

Validation of Research

Pre-testing will be going to perform to validate the research instrument and be targeting 10

respondents each within 4 selected colleges with the total of 40 respondents to be tested to check

the effectiveness of the research instrument.

Materials

The entire process of assessing the awareness on risk factors of sexually transmitted

infection and sexual risk behaviors among students of Cavite State University required the

following material: questionnaires

Republic of the Philippines

CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY
(CvSU)
 DON SEVERINO DE LAS ALAS CAMPUS
Indang, Cavite
' (046) 415-0021 ' (046) 415-0012
E-mail: cvsu@asia.com

COLLEGE OF NURSING

This questionnaires is going to utilize to evaluate the awareness on risk factors of sexually

transmitted infections (STI’s) and sexual risk behavior among students of Cavite State

University.

Name: (Optional)______________________________________________

Age: _______

Gender: ________

Occupation: _________________

Civil Status: __________________

Educational Attainment: _______________

5-always 4-often 3-sometimes 2-seldom 1-never

1. Do you use condom when having sexual intercourse? If yes How often? ___________

2. Are you having sexual intercourse with the same sex?If yes How often? ___________

3. Are you having sexual intercourse with a Guest Relation Officer (GRO’s)/callboy? If yes

How often? ______

YES NO

1. Do you have multiple sexual partners? _____ ____

 2. Do you practice safe sex ? _____ ____

3. Do you know what STI’s is? _____ ____

4. Do you know how to prevent acquiring STI’s? _____ ____

5. Are you aware about the transmission of the infections? _____ ____

6. Have you tried anal/ oral sex? _____

_____

7. If you have tried anal/ oral sex, do you know the possible effects of
it? _____ _____

8. Do you prefer to use condom when having sexual intercourse?

______ ______