Exploring contraceptive knowledge and sexual behavior among high school students in a middle-income country: a...

In today's post-revolution era, with demographic, cultural, and social changes, Tunisian society is witnessing several transformations: There's a rise in young single mothers and early sexual activity. A quarter of the population comprises young Tunisians who struggle with limited access to education and healthcare. Only 19.1% know how to prevent Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), and 16% lack access to contraception. This insufficient sexual health knowledge exposes them to risks such as STDs, unintended teenage pregnancies, unsafe abortions, infertility, and even death. This study aims to assess young Tunisians' understanding of contraception, sexual behavior, information-seeking methods, and STD prevention.

A cross-sectional survey involving 100 high school students aged 15-18 was conducted from February to March 2022. It gathered information on their knowledge of contraceptives, sexual health, experiences, and access to services and products. The survey used hard-copy questionnaires. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) software, version 26.0 IBM.

A total of 100 participants were included, with a sex ratio of 0.92. most of them (35%) were 18 years old. Results showed that the majority (86%) of the students confirmed that they had not received any courses on contraception. Most students, 84%, said they obtained information about contraceptive methods from websites, while 63% mentioned friends as their source. The majority of participants, 62%, reported not using contraception, while 15% had used methods like condoms or withdrawal before. Both genders were mostly aware of the pill (89%) and male condom (85%) as common contraceptive methods. Over two-thirds of the participants stated that the male condom was the contraceptive method effective in preventing STD.

The majority of the adolescents displayed misconceptions regarding contraceptive methods and the prevention of STDs. The use of these methods remains significantly restricted. This study emphasizes the importance of increasing awareness of sexual health among adolescents. It recommends establishing accessible centers offering comprehensive services and guidance on contraception, sexuality, and pregnancy planning.