[Effects of a comprehensive health education program on reproductive tract infections/sexually transmitted diseases intervention among reproductive age population in the rural areas of China].

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness on comprehensive health education intervention program regarding reproductive tract infections/sexually transmitted diseases (RTIs/STDs) among reproductive age population in the rural areas of China.

Methods: Data were generated from the Reproductive Health/Family Planning Project implemented by the State Family Planning Committee and the Ministry of Health from 1998 to 2002, which covered 32 counties in 22 provinces. A quasi-experimental design was used. Six counties were selected from 32 project counties as intervention group, while 6 non-project counties were taken as controls which were similar in number of population and economic level to the counties as selected. Subjects of the study were mothers with children under 3 years and men under 35 years of age. A total number of 675 mothers and men were interviewed using a structured questionnaire by strictly trained investigators. Logistic model was used to compare the difference of knowledge on RTIs/STDs between intervention group and control group. OR value was used to describe the degree of the difference.

Results: Over the 18 month intervention period, persons in the intervention group had more knowledge of RTIs/STDs than those in control group. Logistic regression analysis indicated that intervention was significantly associated with better knowledge on factors as transmission, risks, symptoms, management and prevention of RTIs/STDs with 95% CI of OR as 2.4 - 6.4, 2.0 - 4.8, 3.0 - 6.4, 1.9 - 5.7 and 1.8 - 6.8 respectively, after controlling the demographic factors. Level of education was an important factor influencing the subjects to receive knowledge on RTIs/STDs.

Conclusion: Comprehensive health education intervention programs had significant impact on knowledge about RTIs/STDs among the target population, indicating that the Reproductive Health/Family Planning Project implemented in the rural areas of China had been successful.