RESUMO
Objectives: Study was to find out what patients know; practice and their attitude twards STDs for purposes of programme planning. Methods: Focus group discussions and indepth interviews were done among STD clinic patients. Data was alss collected from counselling sessions done in the clinic. Results: STDs were not taken as a serious health problem among these patients. Syphil and gonorrhea were the main STDs known with syphilis known to be cogenital and incurable. Self medication and treatment by unqualified health personel was common among these patients. However condom use was on the increase as a means of preventing HIV among more than 24 years males. Conclusion: There is low awareness about STDs among patients attending this clinic; where considerable awareness would have benefits in terms of STD/HIV prevention. Intensive IEC programmes in form of outreaches would have an impact. But whether such IEC programmes will be accompanied by sustained awareness is not known; other social; cultural; economic and gender issues need to be considered