Sex knowledge, attitudes, and experience of Chinese medical students in Hong Kong

Abstract

Sex knowledge, attitudes, and experience of 83 Chinese undergraduate medical students were assessed in their responses to the Sex Knowledge and Attitude Test. They were found to be relatively less knowledgeable especially in areas of social and cultural data-based knowledge and were less liberal especially in attitudes toward heterosexual relations and abortion. While increased knowledge tended to be associated with the repudiation of sexual myths, a general conservative outlook as assessed by the Wilson-Patterson Conservatism Scale was found to have the greatest influence on attitudes toward heterosexual relations, autoeroticism, and abortion. In contrast to the sexual practice of young Chinese of similar age based on another survey, the present sample of medical students was relatively heterosexually inexperienced. Implications for medical education with value reorientation are discussed.