Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices Towards Sexually Transmitted Infections Among GOPD Patients in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Abstract Background The burden of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have become a serious global public health concern with consequence morbidity and mortality, especially in developing countries. The risk of contracting these infections however, spread amongst various subgroup of the population. This study aimed to comprehensively examine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices pertaining to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among patients attending the General Outpatient Department (GOPD) at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH). Method A cross-sectional study surveyed 400 outpatients, aged 18 to 45 years old, from the General outpatient department (GOPD) in the health facility from November 2023 – February 2024. Community-based and descriptive approach was employed, utilizing a structured questionnaire to assess both the quantitative and qualitative indicators of knowledge, attitude and practices amongst the respondents. Chi-square and regression methods was employed in the analysis of the various factors and outcomes. Results Our result shows that socio-demographic characteristics such as gender and education level are key determinants of STI knowledge levels with a significant association (P < 0.05) between sex (χ2 = 22.71, p = 0.01), level of education (χ2 = 36.61, p = 0.01), occupation (χ2 = 33.45, p = 0.01) and Knowledge of STIs reported in this study. However, there were no significant differences based on age, marital status, or religion. From the data, majority of patients with positive attitudes 82.80% (n = 231) are willing to seek healthcare services compared to those with negative attitudes 16.20% (n = 48). In addition, a significant association was observed between attitudes of GOPD patients and health seeking behavior (p = 0.04), indicating the role of attitudes towards STIs in healthcare-seeking behavior among GOPD patients. Moreover, our result shows that cost of drugs (χ2 test = 35.15, df = 3, p = 0.002), impacts on privacy (χ2 test = 36.61, df = 3, p < 0.001), drug use inconveniences (χ2 test = 43.171, df = 3, p = 0.03) and trust in healthcare providers (χ2 test = 44.149, df = 3, p = 0.01) are all significantly associated with engaging STIs safety practices. Thus, attitudes towards STIs significantly impacted healthcare-seeking behaviour, underscoring the importance of positive attitudes in promoting proactive engagement with healthcare services. Conclusion These findings emphasizes the need for targeted health education interventions to address knowledge gaps, reduce stigma, and foster safe sexual practices among the population. Leveraging on these insights will enable healthcare providers and policymakers to collaboratively work towards mitigating the burden of STIs and enhancing sexual health outcomes within EKSUTH and similar healthcare settings.