Clinical sexology: an approach to the knowledge, attitudes and healthcare practices of final year students of the Medellin, Colombia medical schools

Abstract

Objective: To describe the knowledge, attitudes and healthcare practices on clinical sexology in students of the last year of the faculties of Medicine, Medellín, Colombia. Methodology: Descriptive cross-sectional study that included medical students from the last year in five schools in Medellín, 2018. A survey was applied, with prior informed consent of the participants. The knowledge, attitudes and healthcare practices of clinical sexology were investigated. Results: 318 students were surveyed, 54.1% women, the median age was 24 years (RIC: 23-25); Regarding knowledge, 71.4% knew the definition of Sex, 57.3% that of Gender and 80.3% that of sexuality. Regarding attitudes, 38.8% expressed feeling comfortable with the dialogue on sexual health issues with their patients, 89.1% considered that their beliefs not affected the discussion of sexual problems with their patients and 27% felt safe inpatient focus and management. 92.8% considered that sexology should be relevant during the career. Regarding healthcare practices, 77.4% had never carried out a sexological medical history and of these, 42.5% claimed lack of knowledge as the main cause of not doing so. Conclusions: The most of last year students of Medicine are still not clear about some basic concepts in clinical sexology and feel uncomfortable when approa-ching a patient with sexual problems. The majority considered that sexology is relevant in their training, but the Faculties of Medicine have few academic and clinical practice spaces to address this issue.

Keywords

• health knowledge attitudes practice
• sexology
• students medical