Healthcare students’ attitudes toward addressing sexual health: validation of the European Portuguese version

Abstract

BackgroundTo tailor curriculum and training programs on sexual health for undergraduate health students, assessing students' attitudes toward working with sexual health is necessary. The Students’ Attitudes Toward Addressing Sexual Health Questionnaire (SA-SH) provides adequate measurement proprieties to assess health students' attitudes toward sexual health. This questionnaire has yet to be available for use in European Portuguese-speaking countries. ObjectiveTranslate, culturally adapt, and validate the European Portuguese version of the SA-SH. MethodsCross-sectional, observational study. The translation was performed according to international guidelines; a panel of four sexuality experts was invited for content validity purposes; construct validity was obtained with the results of 122 questionnaires submitted online to health students and correlation with the Sexuality Attitudes and Beliefs Survey. Internal consistency reliability was also calculated. ResultsThe European Portuguese version showed a Cronbach's alpha between 0.669 and 0.770, and four items were removed after factorial analysis. A significant correlation was found with the results of the Sexuality Attitudes and Beliefs Survey. ConclusionThe SA-SH European Portuguese version is a valid and reliable instrument to use among the Portuguese population and institutions.