Identification of sexual myths of university students in health-related departments and affecting factors.

ABSTRACT

AIM: The research aimed to determine the attitudes of students studying in health-related departments toward sexual myths and the factors affecting them. METHODS: The study is descriptive research involving 287 students enrolled in health-related departments. The data were collected using a "Descriptive Information Form" and the "Sexual Myths Scale (SMS)" and analyzed using the SPSS 22.0 software package. The SPSS 22.0 package program was used to evaluate the data. In statistical analysis, Spearman correlation analysis was employed to determine the relationship between continuous variables and the SMS score, and the statistical significance level was accepted as p<0.05. RESULTS: The total score was found to be 53.57±17.54 (min 28.00 to max 140.00), reflecting a moderate level. There was a statistically significant difference between the total score of SMS according to gender, family type, maternal employment status, and paternal education level (p<0.05). It was also determined that male students, students whose mothers were unemployed, who lived in extended families, and whose fathers had low education had lower SMS scores. CONCLUSION: Despite students studying in health-related departments and receiving relevant courses, their level of sexual myths remains at a moderate level, indicating the presence of knowledge gaps and misconceptions in the subject matter. Therefore, it is crucial to implement comprehensive education and counseling services on reproductive and sexual health for all university students.