Attitudes and Barriers of Diabetes Health Care Professionals on Sexual Health

Abstract

It is known that diabetes might cause some reproductive and sexual health problems in a wide area. Diabetes Health Care Professionals (DHCPs) should be aware of prevention and early diagnosis of reproductive and sexual health (RSH) problems in women with diabetes. The aim of the descriptive study was to evaluate views and attitudes and barriers of DHCPs related to RSH problems in women with diabetes. The study comprised of 286 DHCPs. Data was collected by the self-administered form. Study results showed the barriers on sufficient RHS care in diabetes practice such as low awareness of DHCPs, lack of certain approaches for prevention and early diagnosis, concerns about privacy of RSH problems. It was found that DHCPs did not have sufficient approaches and attitudes on RSH problems in women with diabetes although they believed the importance of RSH in diabetes management. For giving optimal care, DHCPs should evaluate and manage to RSH problems in women with diabetes.