A sexualidade entre as acadêmicas de enfermagem: enfoque no planejamento familiar e prevenção de DST/AIDS

Abstract

The education of health professionals approaches several aspects such as their social role and care work, research and education; that is, they are educated to give support for all of the individual s needs. For a long time, I have been thinking about the practice of sexuality concepts among nursing students since they have to give instructions of the related issues as familial planning and STD/AIDS prevention; sometimes they are victims of their own setting. This transversal, exploratory, descriptive, quantitative study aimed at investigating among nursing students their knowledge, practice and sources of information on contraceptive methods and STD/AIDS. Moreover, it approaches some aspects of sexual-life practice as well as its consequence. A semi-structured questionnaire was used for collecting data. The results showed that the majority of the students had some information on this issue when attending high school period, especially on contraceptive methods as the use of condoms, pills and withdrawal method. AIDS was the most stressed subject among STD. Learning this subject was more effective when they attended graduation period, especially in the 4th grade during the class of Nursing in the Care of Transmitted Diseases. The sources that most contributed for their knowledge were the classes and related reading. They have had little information from their parents on this issue. They reported the initial age of 10 to 13 years recommended to start receiving information on contraceptive methods and STD/AIDS prevention. Condoms and pills are the most effective contraceptive methods according to them. The great majority of them showed a misunderstanding in relation to some contraceptive methods such as condoms and pills playing a role in the prevention of STD. Seventh seven percent of them have just started their sexual life; out of these, 45.7% in the age of 16 to 18 years. The majority of the students stated to know how to prevent STD, however some of them did not make use of this knowledge. The most used contraceptive methods were the combination of pills and condoms, and/or the single use of one of them. Some of them, who made use of pills and other contraceptive methods, without being the condoms, did not care about the risk of STD/AIDS contamination. Behavioral aspect was the greatest constraint between reason/emotion in relation to STD/AIDS prevention and unwanted pregnancy . The approach of this study is to provide better understanding on subjects related to human sexuality for the nursing students, therefore they will be able to work on these themes at hospitals, HBU (Health Basic Units) or at elementary or high schools. Without this learning either their professional activities or their own behavior in relation to sexual issues will be impaired.