Turkish Nursing Students’ Attitudes and Beliefs Regarding Sexual Health

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore nursing students’ attitudes and beliefs towards discussing sexual health with patients. A descriptive design was adopted. Data were collected by an inventory of Sexuality Attitudes and Beliefs Survey. All participants were Muslim. According to study results most of these Turkish nursing students (75.5 %) assumed that most hospitalized patients lacked interest in sexuality because of their illnesses and 67.7 % did not feel comfortable talking about sexual issues. The sexual education was not satisfactory. Students under influence of cultural and religious beliefs did not provide sexual health care. Sexuality and sexual health should be included regularly into fundamental nursing curricula in Turkey.