An Examination of Turkish Nurses’ Attitudes, Awareness and Practices Regarding Reproductive Health Needs of Individuals With Schizophrenia

Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate Turkish nurses’ attitudes, awareness and practices regarding reproductive health needs of individuals with schizophrenia. Method: The sample of this descriptive study consisted of 96 psychiatric nurses and 90 nurses and midwives working in family health centers who agreed to participate. The data were presented as numbers and percentages, and chi-square analyses were used to compare the groups. Findings: Although the majority of nurses stated that family planning education should be given to individuals with schizophrenia, to both genders and to both single and married patients, the proportion of those who give family planning education is only 23.5%. Of the nurses, 58.8% recommend tubal ligation as a method of family planning for individuals with schizophrenia, 39.6% of nurses think that involuntary abortion or sterilization for individuals with schizophrenia is necessary even if they do not support it culturally, and 20.3% of nurses provide sexual health counseling to individuals with schizophrenia. It appears that nurses, as members of society, do not approve of marriage or parenting by individuals with schizophrenia. Result: This study found that both nurses working in primary care and psychiatric clinics had negative attitudes towards the reproductive health of individuals with schizophrenia.