Investigating Health Belief model component about sexual and reproductive health in college female students

• Main Authors: Akram Aslani, Ahmad Khosravi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Mashhad University of Medical Sciences 2016-05-01
• Series: Savād-i Salāmat
• Subjects: Health belief model; College students; Sexually Transmitted Diseases
• Online Access: http://literacy.mums.ac.ir/article_10975_6694d53c9564366867813258711b7a7b.pdf
• ISSN: 2476-4728; 2476-4728

Background and objective: One of the critical steps in providing social and family health by concentrating on women's health is expanding sexual and reproductive health and addressing it in various aspects of the national and international level. Therefore in this study the goal is analyzing the components of the health belief model about sexual and reproductive health of female students of University of Medical Sciences of Shahroud. Methods: The present study is a cross-sectional analysis which conducted by participation of 397 female students of University of Medical Sciences of Shahroud in 2014. The data collecting tool was a questionnaire that was consisted of demographic information, knowledge and structures of health belief model. The data was analyzed by SPSS software and t-test and chi-square test. Results: The results showed that students had high self-efficacy (17.7 ± 2) in reproductive health care but the rate of their perceived barriers (3.02± 1.37) that was reported was almost high. Also there was a direct relation between demographic variable of age and the knowledge of students. The average score of students' awareness of sexually transmitted disease that was obtained was 9.97 ± 2.62. There was no significant relationship between age, marital status and their study major with structures of health belief model about sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS and its preventive behaviors. Conclusion: The findings of this study show that the self-efficacy of students about preventive behaviors of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS is high. In other hand the average of perceived barriers in students is relatively high. Considering the findings it is recommended that sexual and reproductive health programs should be applied in order to reduce the barriers and to further increase the ability of young people. Paper Type: Research Article.