Gaps in domain-specific reproductive health knowledge and attitudes among female college students in Basrah city

Abstract

Background: Reproductive health is a fundamental component of overall health and well-being throughout a woman’s life, encompassing key stages such as marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause. Adequate awareness of reproductive health supports family stability and contributes to healthier communities. Objectives: This study aimed to identify the gap in the knowledge and attitudes of female university students toward reproductive health domains and to detect associated sociodemographic factors. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 387 female students aged 18–24 years from five colleges at the University of Basra, Iraq. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a validated and reliable questionnaire between October 2024 and February 2025. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS. Results: The mean age of participants was 20.82 ± 1.63 years. Most students lived in urban areas and resided with their families. The majority belonged to middle socioeconomic status families, with relatively large household sizes. Parental education levels were moderate, and most mothers were housewives. Overall, students demonstrated poor knowledge across all reproductive health domains, with family income status significantly influencing knowledge levels. Attitudes toward reproductive health were predominantly neutral and showed little variation across most sociodemographic factors. Conclusions: Female university students exhibited inadequate knowledge and mainly neutral attitudes toward reproductive health domains.