The effect of sexually transmitted disease education via instagram on the knowledge and attitudes of university students: a pilot study

TL;DR

This pilot study shows that Instagram can effectively improve university students' knowledge and attitudes about sexually transmitted diseases.

Contribution

The study introduces Instagram as a novel educational platform for STD awareness among university students.

Findings

The Instagram group showed significantly higher post-training STD knowledge scores than the control group.

Participants in the Instagram group were more likely to disagree with stigmatizing attitudes toward STD patients.

Instagram-based education proved to be a feasible and effective method for improving knowledge and reducing stigma.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of sexually transmitted disease education provided via Instagram on university students’ knowledge and attitudes about sexually transmitted diseases.

This pretest-posttest control group experimental study was conducted on 69 participants (Instagram group: 30, control group: 39). Participants in the Instagram group followed the @sexualinfectmarmara Instagram account prepared by the researchers. Five modules about sexually transmitted diseases prepared by the researchers were shared on this account.

When the pre-training STD scores of the Instagram and control groups were compared with the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) analysis, it was found that the scores of the Instagram group were statistically significantly higher than those of the control group. No significant difference was found between the sexually transmitted disease scores. After the training, the participants in the Instagram group responded significantly more with disagreement to the statement "sexually transmitted disease patients are easily recognized in society."

Instagram can be a new and alternative educational tool for increasing the sexually transmitted disease knowledge and attitude levels of university students.