Attitudes of adolescents towards sexual health in three cities from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina

AIM: This study aimed to determine the attitudes of adolescents towards sexual health and to assess their understanding of contraception use and knowledge about sexually transmitted infections in three ethnically different areas of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. METHODS: A total of 146 adolescent high school students between 17 and 19 years of age from three different cities were enrolled in this cross- sectional study. The participants completed two anonymous questionnaires: one that measured attitudes towards safe sex practice and another that measured contraception and general sexual health knowledge. RESULTS: Shame was identified as the main factor why adolescents did not seek information about sexual health and contraception. On average, respondents correctly answered only 35% of questions regarding sexual health. Adolescents from East Mostar, with a predominantly Bosniak population, had more positive attitudes towards safe sex and showed less contraception knowledge in comparison to their colleagues from two cities in Croatia. LIMITATIONS: Our study design might be burdened by socially desirable reporting and other biases inherent to the survey design. CONCLUSION: Adolescents from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, countries that experienced war and are still undergoing post-communist socio- economic transition, generally did not have adequate knowledge with respect to safe sex lifestyles. Respondents had major problems identifying sexually transmitted infections and their knowledge about contraception was insufficient. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY: Providing care for adolescent populations should address specificities in local ethnical and socio-economical circumstances. There is a need for further studies to determine social, cultural and religious factors influencing the knowledge and attitudes towards sexual health in order to provide most effective interventions for specific adolescent populations.