[Sex education and knowledge of venerial disease among public school 9th graders]

A study on knowledge of venereal diseases, opinions on sexual matters, and satisfaction with sex education at school.

A questionnaire was handed out on the same day in all ninth grade classes in the municipality of Viborg without prior notification of teachers and pupils.

A total of 394 of 398 questionnaires were answered and returned. Only 36% were fully satisfied with the sex education imparted at school, while 70% of the teenagers were satisfied with the quantity. Satisfaction was similar between genders, but more marked among those without sexual debut as 66% were satisfied, while just 47% of those with sexual debut thought sex education was satisfactory (p < 0.006). Knowledge of venereal disease like hiv/aids, chlamydia and herpes simplex was high (> 80% of pupils). A total of 58% of boys and 76% of girls identified chlamydia as the most common venereal disease (p < 0.0001, girls vs. boys), while 26% of the boys and 27% of the girls answered AIDS/HIV (p < 0.75). Finally, 13% of boys and 6% of girls wrote "don't know" or did not answer the question. Having had sexual debut increased knowledge of chlamydia's status as the most common venereal disease to 85% among girls (p < 0.03). Knowledge of the symptoms and risks of chlamydia is rather limited. The girls were more aware of the fact that it may cause sterility (p < 0.001, girls vs. boys) and that it occurs symptomless (p< 0.02). The respondents' guess as to how many of the girls and boys had experienced sexual debut was not associated with gender but with own sexual debut. Those with no sexual debut guessed better than the pupils with sexual debut, as 77% of boys and 81% of girls with no sexual debut guessed correctly.

The sex education curriculum should be differentiated with regard to sexual debut or not in order to increase satisfaction with teaching and increase the school's contribution to improve sexual knowledge and behaviour.