Knowledge and Perception on the Benefits of Safe Sex Among College Students in a State University

Safe sex is a topic of interest among researchers worldwide. In the Philippine setting, safe sex is not openly discussed. Such topics may come up only after a problem arises. Although most adolescents are not sexually active, knowledge on the benefits of safe sex is an important weapon to safeguard their health and future. Despite the studies conducted, it is alarming that there is a notable increase of unplanned pregnancies of women age 15-19 years old in the past years (WHO, 2014). Hence, this study aimed to assess the knowledge and perception on the benefits of safe sex among students aged 16-18 years old and identify the relationships among the demographic profile and their knowledge and their perception on the benefits of safe sex. This study revealed that the age of the respondents has some significant effect on their knowledge on the benefits of safe sex. Furthermore, respondents who own a computer with internet and respondents whose source of information on safe sex are educators have a significant effect on their perception of the benefits of safe sex. Finally, the study confirmed that there is a significant relationship between the knowledge and the perception on the benefits of safe sex.

Keywords: Safe sex, adolescents, sexually transmitted infections, unplanned pregnancy