Sexually transmitted infection knowledge and misconceptions among university students in Türkiye

Aim: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remain a major public health concern worldwide, particularly among young adults who often have incomplete or inaccurate knowledge regarding transmission, prevention, and clinical outcomes.In Türkiye, the lack of a structured national sexual health education program may contribute to persistent knowledge gaps among university students.This study aimed to assess awareness and knowledge of STIs among university students and to identify prevalent misconceptions.Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between May and December 2024 among undergraduate students in Türkiye.A structured 32-item questionnaire assessed sociodemographic characteristics, awareness of STIs, transmission routes, misconceptions, preventive behaviors, knowledge of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) "Undetectable=Untransmittable (U=U)" concept, and HPV-related knowledge.Descriptive statistics were used to summarize responses, and group comparisons were performed using appropriate statistical tests, with p