Exploring attitudes towards infertility: insights from a primary healthcare setting

Şenoymak, İrem; Tural, Egemen; Tuzcular Vural, Emine Zeynep; Eğici, Mehmet Taşkın; Şenoymak, İrem; Tural, Egemen; Tuzcular Vural, Emine Zeynep; Eğici, Mehmet Taşkın

İrem Şenoymak

Egemen Tural

Emine Zeynep Tuzcular Vural

Mehmet Taşkın Eğici

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to assess attitudes and knowledge regarding infertility among adults attending a primary healthcare facility in Turkey, along with identifying influencing factors.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among individuals aged 18-49 who admitted to a Hamidiye tranining and research hospital Family Medicine Outpatient Clinic. Participants completed the attitudes towards infertility scale (ATIS) and the Infertility Knowledge Test (IKT). Demographic data including age, gender, marital status, educational level, and reproductive history were collected.
Results: A total of 237 individuals participated in the study. The median ATIS score of the participants in the study was 50, and the median IKT score was 19. ATIS scores were lower among male (p:0,023), those who were married, had children, had experienced pregnancy, had lower education level compared to other groups (p<0.001 for all). Participants who expressed willingness to consider adoption if unable to have children had significantly higher ATIS scores (p=0.010). Higher knowledge scores correlated positively with more positive attitudes (p=0.006, R=0.178).
Conclusion: The study highlights a correlation between knowledge about infertility and attitudes toward the condition. These findings underscore the importance of educational programs aimed at increasing awareness about infertility and promoting a more positive societal attitude towards it.

Keywords : Infertility, attitude, knowledge, primary healthcare

Download Article

1. World Health Organisation. Sexual and reproductive health: infertility definitions and terminology. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO; 2019 Apr 12. Accessed May 20, 2024. https://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/infertility/definitions/en/
2. Abolfotouh MA, Alabdrabalnabi AA, Albacker RB, AlJughaiman UA, Hassan SN. Knowledge, attitude, and practices of infertility among Saudi couples. Int J Gen Med. 2013;10(6):563-573.
3. Emekli H, Şakiroğlu M. İnfertilite tanısı alan kadınların stigma deneyimleri ve baş etme yolları: bir derleme. Dünya İnsan Bilimleri Derg. 2022;2(1):139-150.
4. Yanıkkerem E, Kavlak O, Sevil U. İnfertil çiftlerin yaşadıkları sorunlar ve hemşirelik yaklaşımı. Nurs Philos. 2008;11(4):112-121.
5. Yazdani F, Kazemi A, Samani HR. Studying the relationship between the attitude to ınfertility and coping strategies in couples undergoing assisted reproductive treatments. J Reprod Infertil. 2016;17(1):56-60.
6. Ergin RN, Polat A, Kars B, Öztekin D, Sofuoğlu K, Çalışkan E. Social stigma and familial attitudes related to infertility. TJOD. 2018;15(1):46-49.
7. Yücesoy H, Yıldırım F, Şahin E. İnfertilitenin kültürel, ekonomik, psikososyal ve cinsel yönüne güncel bir bakış: temel hemşirelik yaklaşımları. Androl Bul. 2021;23(1):256-263.
8. Kamel RM. Management of the infertile couple: an evidence-based protocol. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2010;8(1):21.
9. Cserepes RE, Kollár J, Sápy T, Wischmann T, Bugán A. Effects of gender roles, child wish motives, subjective well-being, and marital adjustment on infertility-related stress: a preliminary study with a Hungarian sample of involuntary childless men and women. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2013;288(4):925-932.
10. Bayraktar E. Toplumsal cinsiyet, kültür ve şiddetin infertilite ile ilişkisi. J Health Sci. 2018;27(1):234-238.
11. Uyar EB, Özkan M, Gül T. Level of belief in sexual myths women with infertility treatment. J Clin Psy. 2017;20(3):209-217.
12. Chavarro JE, Rich JW, Rosner BA, Willett WC. Diet and lifestyle in the prevention of ovulatory disorder infertility. Obstet Gynecol. 2007;110(5):1050-1058.
13. Baird DT, Collins J, Egozcue J, et al. Fertility and ageing. Hum Reprod Update. 2005;11(3):261-276.
14. Siyez DM, Esen E, Baran B, Seymenler S, Kağnıcı DY, Siyez E. İnfertiliteye yönelik tutum ölçeğinin geliştirilmesi: geçerlik ve güvenirlik çalışması. Çukurova Med. 2018;43(1):173-180.
15. Seymenler S. Üniversite öğrencilerinin infertilite ile ilgili bilgi düzeyi ve tutumlarının incelenmesi. Doctoral thesis. İzmir, Dokuz Eylül Üniv., Eğitim Bilimleri Enstitüsü; 2017.
16. Güner Emül T, Çokan Dönmez Ç, Vefikuluçay Yılmaz D. The determining knowledge and attitude of midwife and nurses towards infertility: descriptive research. Turkiye Klinikleri J Nurs Sci. 2021;13(4):815-821.
17. Dönmez Ç, Güner Emül T. The knowledge and attitudes of nursing students infertility and determination of factors affecting these variables. Ordu Üniv. Hemşirelik Çalışmaları Derg. 2021;4 (3):375-381.
18. Bunting L, Boivin J. Knowledge about infertility risk factors, fertility myths and illusory benefits of healthy habits in young people. Hum Reprod. 2008;23(8):1858-1864.
19. Ali S, Sophie R, Imam AM, et al. Knowledge, perceptions and myths regarding infertility among selected adult population in Pakistan: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health. 2011;11(1): 760.
20. El Adlani S, Benksim A, Kaddour YAB, Soummani A, Cherkaoui M. Infertility: knowledge and attitudes of Moroccan young people-gender approach. Middle East Fertil Soc J. 2021;26(1):14.
21. Thomson AA, Brown M, Zhang S, et al. Evaluating acquisition of knowledge about infertility using a whiteboard video. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2016;38(7):646-650.
22. Rouchou B. Consequences of infertility in developing countries. Perspect Public Health. 2013;133(3):174-179.
23. Sharma A, Kamboj N, Saraswathy KN, Puri M, Babu N, Mahajan C. Knowledge, attitude, and practice of infertility: A comparative study in infertile and fertile Indian women. J Biosoc Sci. 2023;55 (5):947-959.
24. Keskin, G, Babacan Gümüş A. Infertility: an examination hopelessness perspective. Int J Nurs Stud. 2014;5(1):9-16.
25. Donkor ES, Sandall J. The impact of perceived stigma and mediating social factors on infertility-related stress among women seeking infertility treatment in Southern Ghana. Soc Sci Med. 2007;65(8):1683-1694.
26. Missmer SA, Seifer DB, Jain T. Cultural factors contributing to health care disparities among patients with infertility in Midwestern United States. Fertil Steril. 2011;95(6):1943-1949.
27. Ying LY, Wu LH, Loke AY. Gender differences in experiences with and adjustments to infertility: A literature review. Int J Nurs Stud. 2015;52(10):1640-1652.
28. Iktidar MA, Chowdhury S, Roy S, et al. Knowledge, attitude and perception among medical students and healthcare professionals regarding male infertility: a cross-sectional survey from Bangladesh. BMJ Open. 2022;12(11):062251.
29. Acar Z, Güngör Satilmiş İ. Cultural perspective on infertility in Turkish society: the İstanbul sample. İzmir Democracy Univ Health Sci J. 2022;5(3):635-650.

Article available in :

Volume 5, Issue 4, 2024
Page : 193-197

https://doi.org/10.47582/jompac.1514206

Article Information

Received : 10 Tem 2024
Accepted : 13 Ağu 2024
Published : 29 Ağu 2024

Corresponding Author :

İrem Şenoymak: Department of Family Medicine, Üskudar State Hospital, İstanbul, Turkiye

[email protected]

Citation : Şenoymak İ, Tural E, Tuzcular Vural EZ, Taşkın Eğici MT. Exploring attitudes towards infertility: insights from a primary healthcare setting. J Med Palliat Care. 2024;5(4):193-197.

Read: 144
Cited: 0
Download : 22

Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care

eISSN: 2717-7505

Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International License.

EndNote Style

Abstract

Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care

eISSN: 2717-7505

Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International License.

EndNote Style

Abstract

References