Abstract

Objective: To assess the knowledge about sexually transmitted disease (STD) among the women in a rural population of Uttar Pradesh.

Methods: The study was carried out on married women in the age group 15-45 years in the villages in the area of Rural Health training Centre of Hind Institute of Medical Sciences, Atariya, Sitapur, UP. The women in the age group 15-45 years from each cluster were interviewed and information collected on a pretested questionnaire based on syndromic approach. The women were interviewed for their perception toward  health seeking behaviour.

Results: One fourth of women were between 30-34 years (25%). The knowledge about STD among the women was 10.8%. The knowledge about STDs was higher in the age group of 25-29 years (31%) as compared to other age-groups. The knowledge about STDs was found to be higher amongst those belonging to Upper caste (22.2%) as compared to other castes.  The knowledge about STDs was higher among educated women. Majority of the women viewed that the STDs occurred due to having unsafe sex with infected male partner (50%).  The main source of the knowledge was Radio/ Television and News Papers etc each constituted 42.3%. 

Conclusion: The knowledge about STDs in India has been a topic of interest in population research because of its apparent direct relationship with the lack of health facilities and indirectly, with poverty. Women’s education is also an imperative factor for the knowledge about STDs.