Effectiveness of an educational intervention on sexually transmitted infections in military adolescents

Abstract

Introduction: Sexuality is an important part of the human being, however, multiple diseases and disorders can affect
human health and the ability to have sexual relations or enjoy them, especially in adolescents. Objective: Modify the
knowledge that sergeants and soldiers have about Sexually Transmitted Infections. Materials and Methods: A quasiexperimental study of educational intervention was carried out, which was divided into three stages: diagnosis,
intervention itself, and evaluation. A universe made up of 52 soldiers (sergeants and soldiers) from the 1st Company
of the III Tank Battalion was studied and the statistical technique McNemar Test was applied for a significance level
of p<0.05. Results: It was verified that 46 of the soldiers studied did not use condoms as a means of protection in
their sexual relations. Discussion: Sexually Transmitted Infections represent a global health problem of great magnitude,
according to the WHO, each year there are more than 250 million new cases, one in 20 people suffers or has suffered
from one of these infections. On the other hand, there are various reasons why people do not assume the change of attitudes and risky behaviors, which have the greatest weight in the appearance of these infections; but this is coupled
with individual responsibility and the actions of well-designed educational programs directed at the target population.
Conclusions: The knowledge about sexuality that the soldiers and sergeants had before the educational intervention
was inadequate, after it was applied, the perception of soldiers and sergeants regarding the main Sexually Transmitted
Infections, signs and symptoms that they produce improved significantly. , as well as control over the main modifiable
risk factors that can be controlled.