Table 3 Awareness and knowledge of STDs reported in 14 of the 15 studies included in the review

Heard of HPV (identification from list of STDs or direct question, 'Have you heard of HPV?')

71.6% (Pelucchi et al.) [49]

16.4% (Gottvall et al.) [46]

51.2% (Pelucchi et al.) [49]

9.6% (Gottvall et al., 2009) [46]

66.6% (Pelucchi et al.)** [49]

13.5% (Gottvall et al.)** [46]

5.4% (Höglund et al.) [47]

33% (Woodhall et al.) [45]

Heard of HPV (open question - 'Which STDs do you know/have you heard of?')

0.2% (Höglund et al.) [47]

Heard of HPV vaccine

9.2% (Gottvall et al.) [46]

1.1% (Gottvall et al.) [46]

5.8% (Gottvall et al.)** [46]

1.1% (Höglund et al.) [47]

Participants who knew that HPV is sexually transmitted

64.9% (Pelucchi et al.) [49]

12.1% (Gottvall et al.) [46]

47.4% (Pelucchi et al.) [49]

5.4% (Gottvall et al.) [46]

60.6% (Pelucchi et al.) [49]

9.2% (Gottvall et al.)** [46]

2.9% (Höglund et al.) [47]

Participants who knew that HPV is a risk factor for cervical cancer (closed question)

11.8% (Gottvall et al.) [46]

3.1% (Gottvall et al.) [46]

8.1% (Gottvall et al.) [46]

1.2% (Höglund et al.) [47]

Participants aware that aim of HPV vaccination is to prevent cervical cancer

53.9% (Pelucchi et al.) [49]

32.1% (Pelucchi et al.) [49]

48.6% (Pelucchi et al.)** [49]

Participants who thought that aim of HPV vaccination is to prevent an STD

8.6% (Pelucchi et al.) [49]

7.2%(Pelucchi et al., 2010) [49]

8.3% (Pelucchi et al.) [49]

Subjective rating of risk of contracting HPV

45% perceived at risk (Pelucchi et al.) [49]

11.8% do not believe will be infected (Gottvall et al.) [46]

26% perceived at risk (Pelucchi et al.) [49]

24.5% do not believe will be infected (Gottvall et al.) [46]

17.3% do not believe will be infected (Gottvall et al.)** [46]

HIV

Heard of HIV (identification from list of STDs or direct question)

97.2% among year 9 and 100% among year 11 pupils (Garside et al.) [42]

97.0% among year 9 and 96.2% among year 11 pupils (Garside et al.) [42]

97.7% (Garside et al.) [42]

100% (Tyden et al.) 91% [38]

(Fogarty) [36]

Heard of HIV (open question - which STDs do you know/have you heard of?)

88% (Höglund et al.) [47]

Participants who knew that you can not tell by looking at someone if they have HIV

Overall 53% (Goodwin et al.)² [43]

Participants who knew that HIV is caused by a virus

91% (Eriksson et al.) [41]

88% (Fogarty) [36]

Participants who knew that HIV is sexually transmitted

99% (Sachsenweger et al.) ^# [49]

97% (Goodwin et al.)¹[43]

99% (Sachsenweger et al.) ^#[49]

86% (Goodwin et al.)¹[43]

99% (Sachsenweger et al.) ^#[49]

81% (Höglund et al.) [47]

92% (Goodwin et al.)¹[43]

99% (Eriksson et al.) [41]

95% (Fogarty) [36]

Participants who knew that sharing a needle with an HIV infected person may lead to infection with the virus

91% (Sachsenweger et al.) ^#[49]

72% (Goodwin et al.)¹[43]

91% (Sachsenweger et al.) ^#[49]

62% (Goodwin et al.)¹[43]

91% (Sachsenweger et al.) ^#[49]

68% (Goodwin et al.)¹[43]

95% (Eriksson et al.) [41]

99% (Fogarty) [36]

Participants who knew that use of condoms can protect against contraction of HIV

83%(Goodwin et al.)¹[43]

42% (Lunin et al.) [39]

86% (Goodwin et al.)¹[43]

60% (Lunin et al.) [39]

99% (Sachsenweger et al.) ^#[49]

76% (Höglund et al.) [47]

84% (Goodwin et al.)¹[43]

99% (Eriksson et al.) [41]

51% (Lunin et al., 1995)** [39]

94% (Fogarty) [36]

Participants who knew where to go for diagnosis/treatment/advice on HIV

22% aware of STD clinic and 32% of AIDS telephone service (Fogarty) [36]

Subjective rating of risk of contracting HIV

11% perceived themselves 'not at risk' (Lunin et al.) [39]

19% perceived themselves 'not at risk' (Lunin et al.) [39]

15% perceived themselves 'not at risk' (Lunin et al.)** [39]

Chlamydia

Heard of chlamydia (identification from list of STDs or direct question)

41.4% among year 9 and 22.7% among year 11 pupils (Garside et al.) [42]

79% (Tyden et al.) [38]

36.7% among year 9 and 13.2% among year 11 pupils (Garside et al.) [42]

60% (Tyden et al.) [38]

34% (Garside et al.)*** [42]

70% (Tyden et al.) [38]

91% in 1986, and 96% in 1988 survey (Andersson-Ellström et al.) [37]

Heard of chlamydia (open question - which STDs do you know/have you heard of?)

86% (Höglund et al.) [47]

Participants who knew that chlamydia can be symptom-free

51% in 1986, and 68% in 1988 survey (Andersson-Ellström et al.) [37]

28% in 1986, and 45% in 1988 survey (Andersson-Ellström et al.) [37]

46% (Höglund et al.) [47]

40% in 1986, and 56% in 1988 survey (Andersson-Ellström et al.)** [37]

Syphilis

Heard of syphilis (identification from list of STDs or direct question)

45.5% among year 9 and 47.0% among year 11 pupils (Garside et al.) [42]

43.4% among year 9 and 45.3% among year 11 pupils (Garside et al.) [42]

45% (Garside et al.) [42]

Gonorrhoea

Heard of gonorrhoea (identification from list of STDs or direct question)

51.0% among year 9 and 53.0% among year 11 pupils (Garside et al.) [42]

52.4% among year 9 and 60.4% among year 11 pupils (Garside et al.) [42]

53% (Garside et al.) [42]

≥ 84% (Tyden et al.) [38]

98%, 1986 survey (Andersson-Ellström et al.) [37]

Heard of gonorrhoea (open question - which STDs do you know/have you heard of?)

50% (Höglund et al.) [47]

Herpes

Heard of herpes (identification from list of STDs or direct question)

52.4% among year 9 and 75.8% among year 11 pupils (Garside et al.) [42]

53.6% among year 9 and 71.7% among year 11 pupils (Garside et al.) [42]

59.1% (Garside et al.)*** [42]

90%, 1986 survey (Andersson-Ellström et al.) [37]

56% (Tyden et al.) [38]

Heard of herpes (open question - which STDs do you know/have you heard of?)

64% (Höglund et al.) [47]

STDs in general

Participants who knew that STDs in general can be symptom-free

53.8% among year 9 and 60.0% among year 11 pupils (Garside et al.) [42]

64.2% among year 9 and 60.4% among year 11 pupils (Garside et al.) [42]

59.7% (Garside et al.) [42]

Participants who knew that use of condoms can protect against contraction of STDs in general

15%, 1986 survey (Andersson-Ellström et al.) [37]

34%, 1988 survey (Andersson-Ellström et al.) [37]

100% (Andersson-Ellström et al.) [40]

27%, 1986 survey (Andersson-Ellström et al.) [37]

52%, 1988 survey (Andersson-Ellström et al.) [37]

20%, 1986 survey (Andersson-Ellström et al.)** [37]

43%, 1988 survey (Andersson-Ellström et al.)** [37]

100% (Tyden et al.) [38]

Subjective rating of risk of contracting an STD in general

32%, 1986 survey (Andersson-Ellström et al., 1991) [37]

24%, 1988 survey (Andersson-Ellström et al.) [37]

16%, 1986 survey (Andersson-Ellström et al.) [37]

24%, 1988 survey (Andersson-Ellström et al.) [37]

55% "low" perceived susceptibility (Woodhall et al.)* [45]

Reported use of condoms

Participants who reported using condoms at first sexual intercourse

50% (Tyden et al.) [38]

65% (Gottvall et al.) [46]

40% (Tyden et al.) [38]

65% (Gottvall et al.) [46]

45% (Tyden et al.) [38]

65% (Gottvall et al.) [46]

61% (Höglund et al.) [47]

Participants who reported using condoms at last sexual intercourse

26% (Tyden et al.) [38]

38% (Tyden et al.) [38]

31% (Tyden et al.) [38]