Opinions of Students in the Field of Health About the Sexuality of Individuals with Disability

Abstract

Sexuality is an important aspect of quality of life, but it is also an area where problems often cluster in individuals with disabilities. Attitudes towards the sexual life of people with disabilities may make it difficult for them to find solutions to their problems, meanwhile increasing their problems. This study aimed to determine the opinions of students who will provide health counseling services in the future on the sexuality of people with disabilities. A total of 498 university students (83.8% of the target population) in the field of health submitted verbal consent for participating in this descriptive study. The items that the students agreed on the sexuality of people with disabilities and the distributions of the percentage of the items were as follows: “Do you think that the sexuality of people with disabilities is overlooked, ignored, or suppressed in society?” (57.5%); “Do you think sexual health is an important aspect affecting the life quality of people with disabilities?” (52.1%); “Do you think the interruption of sexual activity in people with disabilities is due to social and psychological factors rather than biological and physical factors?” (52.6%); and “Do you think that sexuality is often neglected when the history of patients with disabilities is taken in healthcare institutions?” (49.1%). On the other hand, the items that the students disagreed on were as follows: “Do you feel uncomfortable when answering questions on sexuality?” (45.0%); “Will you give sex education if you get the necessary education?” (44.4%); and “Is sexual education given in school and family sufficient?” (62.8%). Also, only 11.2% of the students were found to have knowledge of sexuality in people with disabilities. The results of this simple descriptive study can contribute to the development of health care services and the educational curriculum on the sexuality of people with disabilities.