Attitudes, beliefs and comfort levels of midwifery students regarding sexual counselling in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: this aim of this study was to determine midwifery students' attitudes and beliefs regarding sexual counselling, the factors preventing effective sexual counselling and comfort levels towards sexual counselling.

PARTICIPANTS: the study was conducted with 650 students studying in the midwifery departments of eight universities in Turkey (response rate 59.1%).

DESIGN: the data were obtained through a self-administered questionnaire in early 2016, which collected sociodemographic characteristics and comfort levels, and used the Sexuality Attitudes and Beliefs Survey.

FINDINGS: just over half (52.4%) of the students had been confronted in clinical practice with caring for a woman who reported having sexual problems and 74.9% reported that the women they were caring for requested sexual counselling from them. Just under a half (48.8%), stated that midwives talk about these issues during care and a similar proportion (48.3%) reported that issues about sexual counselling were part of their midwifery education. Just over half (53.5%) of the midwifery students stated that sexuality is a very special subject to discuss with women but that insufficient time created a barrier to being able to discuss sexual problems. The students did not feel comfortable counselling all women, including homosexual women or sex workers who may be potentially carrying HIV.

CONCLUSIONS: even though the attitudes of midwifery students toward sexual counselling were good, students were not always comfortable to provide counselling, especially to particular groups of women.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: attitudes, beliefs and comfort levels of midwifery students about sexuality and sexual counselling can be improved. Students are an important group to target as they are specialised in women's health, Different groups should be supported through training concerning sexual counselling.