The study was conducted in Alamata town from February 1to March1 2017.

Institutional based cross sectional study design was employed.

All Alamata preparatory school student striplings.

Selected student striplings from Alamata preparatory school.

The study subjects 328 were selected randomly by using systematic random sampling technique.

The data were collected using self-administered structure knowledge questionnaire. The questionnaire consists of 2 parts.

Part: I Socio Demographic Variables.

Part: II Structure Questionnaire to assess the Knowledge on STIs.

Prior permission was obtained from the concerned authority. Informed consent obtained from the subjects. The data were collected by 10 trained BSc Nursing professional. Data collectors were trained 2 days before data collection. Pre test was conducted for 10 % of study population in other high school. At the end of the day obtained data were checked for completeness. Later, the data edited, coded and analyzed by principle investigators and team.

To ensure the quality, the data were pretested and checked for its completeness and consistency by investigators. The collected data was rechecked by the principle investigator & the team. After checking the consistency the questionnaire was translated from English to local language Tigrigna.

The collected data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics. The result has been Presented using tables and graphs.

In this study it refers to the preparatory students who are adolescents aged between 15- 19 years and studying in selected school.

The ethical clearance was obtained from Wollo University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Nursing and Midwifery office and formal permission was taken from the concerned authority of Alamata preparatory school and confidentiality of study participants was assured and maintained.

Table 1: Distribution of socio demographic characteristics of striplings by their acquaintance on sexual transmitted infections

Above cited data shows that among 328 strippler them about 272 (82.9%) were in age group of (15-19), 56 (17.1%) were between 20-24 years. Further than, 195 (59.45%) were males and rest (195) were females. Surrounded by 285 (86.9%) were Tigre ethnic group and the rest others (13.1%). The majority of students 166 (50.6%) were grade 12 and rest belongs to grade 11. In case of place residence 260 (79.3%) have been live in urban area and the rest (49.4%) in rural area. Regarding to their marital status 316(96.3 %%) students were single and 11(3.3%) were married. As per the result the majority 291(88.7%) were orthodox, 31(9.5%) of students were Muslim, 4(1.2%) protestant and 2 (0.6%) were catholic. Majority of the students 258 (78.6%) get support from their family, 34(10.4%) from their brothers and sisters, 2(0.6%) from NGO and the rest 34(10.4%) of them by self support.

Figure 1: Religious distribution of Alamata preparatory school students Knowledge about sexually transmitted disease and source of information

Out of the total respondents, majority of them 290(88.4%) were heard about STD and 38(11.6%) were not heard. Regarding to the source of information 90(31%) are got information from school, 46(15.9 %) from radio, 125(43.1%) from TV, 23(7.9 %) from magazine, and 6(2.1 %) from other source (Internet, health workers and his/her friend).

Table 2: Distribution of students according to knowing about sign and symptom of STIs in Alamata preparatory school

Above depicted data revealed that, majority of the students 277(84.5%) were know about sign and symptoms of STD and 51(15.5%).not knew about it. Regarding sign and symptoms of STD in female, 55(19.9%) were know abdominal pain, 155(55.9%) burning pain during urination, 41(14.8%) redness in genital area, 26(9.4%) were know blood in urine. Regarding the sign and symptom in male, 21(7.6%) were know abdominal pain, 212(76.5%) were know burning pain on urination, 39(14.1%) were know redness in genital area, 5(1.8%) were know blood in urine.

Table 3: Association of demographic data to knowledge of STIs

Young people are particularly vulnerable to STDs and consequent health problems. [10] The acquaintance school students striplings towards sexually transmitted diseases showed that, majority of the students 88.4% were heard about STI. The major source of their information is school 31%, radio 15.9%, TV 43.1%, and magazine 7.9%.This result was closely related. Which is similar with a study conducted by Tushar Rai, et al from India revealed that, among 166 Adolescents i.e. Males-88 and Females-78. Off 51.2% of the adolescents were having knowledge about STD’s. Majority of (91.4%) the adolescents knew about AIDS as a type of STD and prevention of STD was found to be 72.9% by use of condoms. [11]

This study, regarding to route of STIs transmission, 81.5% by sexual intercourse, 11% responded that STD transmitted through contact with contaminated blood, 5.2% by heredity and 2.3% responded breast feeding this result bonded study conducted in Kampala revealed that, Knowledge of the clinical features of gonorrhoea and AIDS was high; most knew the predisposing factors for STDs (multiple sexual partners 90%; unprotected sexual intercourse 93%; rape 81%; sex outside marriage 78%, and sex under the influence of alcohol 73%) but not so for syphilis. Males were three times more likely to contract STDs (27%) than their female (9%) counterparts. Whereas knowledge on methods of prevention was high (>90%) it was not followed by appropriate behavioural patterns. More female (33.5%) students had heard about Trichomonas vaginalis than males (23%); (X2 = 17.1; < 0.0001). This study has shown that more female than male students got information from their parents (X2= 25.3; P < 0.001) while more male students had their information from previous sexual intercourse (X2 = 12.9; P = 0.001). [12]

The study which published by CDC are 48.4% reported having had sexual intercourse at least one in their lifetime, 7.2% had sexual intercourse before age 15. 56.8% of sexually active students have used condom during their more sexual intercourse. Inconsistent to this study majority of the students 52.7% had experienced sexual intercourse this variation of practice could be due to highly expansion of other contraceptive and condom currently which intern leads to decrease fearing of getting STIs and pregnancy. Regarding condom usage among sexually active students majority of them 64.5% had used condom during sexual practice, this improvement of practicing sexual inter course by using condom could be due to expansion of awareness among Alamata preparatory school students about use of condom and highly availability of condom.

Regarding age at which students practiced sexual intercourse for the first time in our study 11.8% which is almost similar CDC report before 15 years and 88.2% after the age of 15 years. This shows that as the same to the above study relatively few students were practiced sexual intercourse before 15 years, actually too early age practice of sexual intercourse increase chance of getting unintended pregnancy, STIs and HIV/AIDS ,even though relatively few students of Alamata preparatory school practiced sexual intercourse at too early age, majority of the students practiced sexual intercourse after 15 years age which could be face them for many health related and other problem.This indicates that the students have lack of awareness about risk of STIs. [13]

Knowledge on STIs, 82.6% had good knowledge and the rest 17.4% had poor knowledge. This result was higher than the study from Vadodara stated that, Among 1122 Almost 41% participants said menstruation cleans the dirty blood of the body. Almost 8.3% participants did not know about organs of reproduction of female and 18.3% did not know about physical changes during puberty. Only 55% participants have heard about STD and only 69% have awareness regarding AIDS. Almost 66% participants did not know regarding features of STD and 19% did not know about mode of transmission of STD/AIDS. [14]

To put it in to nut shell, over all 271(82.6%) good knowledge and most students knew using condom decrease STIs even though majority of the students knew as using condom decrease STIs, other students were said I don’t know. This shows students still need education and recommended for further interventional study to enrich their knowledge.