Level of information about gynaecological prevention in teenagers at risk from social exclusion, referred by family court rulings to juvenile attendance centres – a pilot study

Introduction and objective. The objective of the study was to present preliminary results of a pilot study concerning the level of knowledge of gynaecological prevention, conducted in teenagers referred by court rulings to a juvenile attendance centre. Materials and method. The instrument was an anonymous survey questionnaire completed by participants in health prevention classes in late 2010 and early 2011. The studied group consisted of teenagers aged 15–17 years (mean age: 15.72 years, median = 16 years, SD = 0.679) who were under probation officers’ supervision in the Zamość region of south-eastern Poland. The sample size was 101 persons – 51 boys (50.50%), 50 girls (49.5%). Results. According to the respondents, the most important reasons for seeing a gynaecologist were: menstrual disorders (70.30%), suspicion of pregnancy (63.37%) and pain or burning sensations while urinating (58.42%). The following were regarded as prevalent cancers in women: cancers of the breast (99.01%), cervix (89.1%), and ovaries (62.38%). Over 92% of subjects stated that it was possible to protect oneself from cervical cancer, but only 41.5% of respondents indicated the correct definition of the term ‘cytology’. Statistical analysis focused on differences between genders. A higher self-assessment of mental health was shown in boys. Conclusions. Teenagers of similar background may find it more difficult to gain access to knowledge about health prophylaxis, including gynaecological prevention. Efforts should be intensified in order to ‘equalize health opportunities’ through appropriate preparation of teaching curricula (including health education and philosophy of medicine).