Sexually transmissible infections in middle and high school students: experience rates, risk factors and relationship with mental health - results from the Korean youth risk behaviour web-based survey

Abstract

Background Sexually transmissible infections (STIs) in adolescents are an important heath problem. However, the understanding of STIs among adolescents is poor. Rates of and risk factors for ever having a STI and relationships between ever having a STI and mental health in adolescents was investigated.

METHODS: Data from the Korea Youth Risk Behaviour Web-based Survey (KYRBS) were used. The KYRBS is an anonymous, self-administered online survey. To achieve a representative sample of Koreans, researchers used a stratification, clustering and multi-stage sampling method. Data from adolescents who had not had sexual intercourse and surveys with missing data concerning sexual experience were excluded. Finally, 31363 participants were included.

RESULTS: The rate of ever having a STI was 10.0%. A total of 26.5% of adolescents who have had sexual experience report always using contraceptives, and condoms are the most popular contraceptives (69.0%). Contraceptive method (condom, OR: 0.601, 95% CI: 0.491-0.736) and elementary school sexual debut (elementary school, OR: 1.000, middle school, OR: 0.235, 95% CI: 0.181-0.305; high school, OR: 0.128, 95% CI: 0.094-0.173) were significantly correlated with ever having a STI in the multivariate analysis. Depressed mood (OR: 1.379, 95% CI: 1.130-1.683), suicidal ideation (OR: 1.358, 95% CI: 1.109-1.664) and suicide attempts (OR: 1.382, 95% CI: 1.029-1.856) were significantly associated with ever having a STI after adjusting for potential confounders.

CONCLUSIONS: STIs are common diseases in adolescents who have sexual experience and are significantly associated with mental health. Development of preventive measures and treatment policies including mental counselling for adolescents with STI are needed.