Objective
To estimate the prevalence of signs and symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases and to verify the knowledge of adolescents and young people of an urban settlement about these infections.
Methods
This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 105 settlers aged 12-24 years old. Data were collected through interviews and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 17.0.
Results
Of the participants who responded regarding sexually transmitted diseases, 20.6% reported signs and/or symptoms, with a higher proportion in females, those who had a piercing and/or tattoo, and who consumed alcohol before or during sexual intercourse (p <0.05). Also, many participants showed ignorance about the signs and symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases.
Conclusion
The presence of signs and/or symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases were associated with factors related to individual vulnerability of adolescents and young people of the settlement.
Signs and symptoms; Sexually transmitted diseases/epidemiology; Prevalence; Community health nursing; Vulnerable groups