Teenagers’ Knowledge and Treatment of Herpes Labialis in Medellín

Esthefanya Díaz Álvarez

Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia

Shirley Cristina Agudelo Cano

Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia

Eliana María Muñoz Vargas

Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia

Luisa Fernanda Martínez Osorio

Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia

Ángela María Sarrazola Moncada

Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia

Introduction: A health professional should be interested in identifying communities’ knowledge about the health-disease process to promote health and prevent the development of diseases.   Aim: To describe the knowledge and treatments of herpes labialis by adolescent students from a public educational institution in Medellín in 2012.   Materials and methods: Observational, descriptive study. A total of 133 students from a public educational institution in Medellín participated through probabilistic sampling and random selection, and a test of knowledge and treatments of herpes labialis was administered. A univariate descriptive statistical analysis was made. Minimum risk study according to Resolution 8430 of 1993 of the Republic of Colombia.   Results: Ages ranged from 14 to 23 years old with an average age of 16 and a standard deviation of 1.14. 50.4% were women, only 6 % know about herpes labialis from medical sources, 38.3 % do not know the causative agent, 65.4 % know the means of transmission, and 76.7 % recognize them visually. 45.9% had doubts about the signs and symptoms, 60.2 % did not know any pharmacological treatment but reported knowing the use of non-pharmacological treatments such as Vaseline, cocoa butter, chemicals, cigarette, lemon, tomato and salt.   Conclusions: Deficiencies were detected in the knowledge of herpes labialis, its etiology and treatment. The main source of knowledge was the family
Keywords: teenagers, knowledge, students, herpes labialis, treatment

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2017-10-13
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https://plu.mx/plum/a/?doi=10.16925/od.v13i26.2040