Abstract

Objective: To assess the level of knowledge regarding basic reproductive health and physiological changes at puberty among adult male students.
Methodology: This cross-sectional observational descriptive study was carried out at Bahria University, Health Sciences Campus, Karachi-Pakistan (BUHSC-K). In this study, 128 male students in the age group ≥18 years were included. Responses of students to Google form surveys on demographic characteristics, physiological/anatomical changes in the body at puberty, and knowledge about reproductive health were calculated in percentages.
Results: At the time of puberty, 51.6% received information from friends, 68% from internet/social media and 25.8% from books. Fathers of 60% and mothers of 38.1% students had received university education. Occupation of 18% parents was related to health care. Mean age at first nocturnal emission was 15.2±1.6 years. At that time, source of information in 64.8% cases was friends, 57.7% listed social media and internet as the mode of information, whereas in 21.9% cases it was parents and 16.4% relied on books. In this study, 82% young male adult were found to have 70% or more knowledge about the physiological changes in the body.
Conclusion: Our study confirms that like other Eastern and Muslim countries, our adolescent population too has plenty of information regarding physiological changes and reproductive health issues. However, majority still feel that this information should be included in the school curriculum.

Key words: Young male students, adolescence, reproductive health knowledge, sexual reproductive health.