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

## TL;DR

This study examines the sexual myths held by health-related university students and identifies factors influencing these beliefs.

## Contribution

The study reveals knowledge gaps in sexual health among health students and highlights demographic factors affecting their beliefs.

## Key findings

- Students had moderate levels of sexual myths despite studying in health-related fields.
- Gender, family type, and parental education significantly influenced sexual myth scores.
- Male students and those with less-educated fathers had lower myth scores.

## Abstract

The research aimed to determine the attitudes of students studying in health-related departments toward sexual myths and the factors affecting them.

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.

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.

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.