Sexual behavior patterns and knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases in adolescent boys in urban slums of Lucknow, North India

Abstract

It has been estimated that India would have the largest number of cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection in the world by the turn of century(1). Adolescents would be at greatest risk of such infection(2-4). To prevent the spread of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases (STD), reproductive health counseling was started in the developed countries, by and large, through school based programs(5,6). In India almost half the boys drop out after primary school(7). Therefore, reproductive health counseling programs here have to operate both through the schools and directly through community based initiatives. Together, the basic information to start a community based reproductive educational health program, the aim of this study was to assess, among under- privileged 15 to 21 years old boys, sexual behavior patterns and knowledge of STD.