Nurses' Attitudes Toward Sexuality and Dementia: Measurement of the Effects of an Education Program

Abstract

By use of the Aging Sexuality Knowledge and Attitude Scale for Dementia (DEMASKAS), developed for this experimental pretest-posttest design, 183 nursing staff (101 experimental and 82 control subjects) working in long-term care institutions for elderly patients in Johannesburg were examined on knowledge of and attitudes toward, sexuality and differing stages of dementia. After an educational program, attitudes changed significantly in a more tolerant direction, except toward those patients with severe dementia. Attitudes in the control group remained virtually unaltered. No significant correlation was found between attitude change and demographic variables or prior knowledge of sexuality in dementia.