College Students’ Knowledge and Perceptions of Genital Herpes

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Abstract
Given the rising prevalence of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and the lack of accurate information about STDs in general, it is important to understand specific aspects of knowledge and attitudes regarding genital herpes acquisition among college students. This study examined the knowledge and attitudes regarding HSV-2 among college students by recruiting subjects (n=518) from an undergraduate psychology class to complete a questionnaire. The percentage of students answering individual knowledge items correctly ranged from 67% to 99%. The media was a common source of information, and almost one-third of the students anticipated that their care provider would think negatively of them should they acquire the disease. There were gender differences in care-seeking behaviour, knowledge, and attitudes, with females having a more negative view of themselves if they acquired the disease. This study pointed to the challenges in ensuring accurate knowledge about genital herpes that will encourage preventive behaviours without causing undue alarm or shame.