The relationship between knowledge and behaviour.

PIP: The many young people worldwide who are sexually active need correct knowledge on pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) so that they may take appropriate and effective measures to prevent them. However, recent studies of young people's sexual behavior conducted in Korea, Guatemala, Nigeria, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam found that knowledge about sexuality, reproduction, and contraception does not always lead young people to practice safe sex. A study in Korea of male students and industrial workers found that while 96-99% knew that AIDS can be transmitted through sexual intercourse with an infected person and over 90% knew that condoms can prevent pregnancy and the transmission of STDs, only 39-48% of those sexually experienced reported using a condom during their most recent episode of sexual intercourse. Of those who were sexually experienced, 80% of industrial workers and 73% of students reported having had sex with a prostitute. Almost all sampled adolescents in Guatemala had heard of AIDS, but the young men reported only sporadic condom use. This discrepancy between knowledge and condom use observed in the other country studies is reported.^ieng