Self-evaluation of Sexual History Taking Skills Among Medical Students in Southern Thailand

Thareerat Ananchaisarp; Jirayu Likitkamchorn; Jirapat Jitsaard; Natthanit Srisuriya; Natvara Panichkittikul; Porramat Chuthong; Pongsakorn Khanphakdee; Peraya Tekasakul; Rossawan Sahuankeaw; Sarawut Piyarattanayothin; Panya Chamroonkiadtikun; Chonnakarn Jatchavala

doi:10.33192/smj.v75i11.264811

Authors

Thareerat Ananchaisarp Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Jirayu Likitkamchorn Fifth-Year Medical Student, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Jirapat Jitsaard Fifth-Year Medical Student, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Natthanit Srisuriya Fifth-Year Medical Student, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Natvara Panichkittikul Fifth-Year Medical Student, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Porramat Chuthong Fifth-Year Medical Student, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Pongsakorn Khanphakdee Fifth-Year Medical Student, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Peraya Tekasakul Fifth-Year Medical Student, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Rossawan Sahuankeaw Fifth-Year Medical Student, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Sarawut Piyarattanayothin Fifth-Year Medical Student, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Panya Chamroonkiadtikun Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Chonnakarn Jatchavala Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33192/smj.v75i11.264811

Keywords:

Clinical practice, Medical History Taking, Sexual health, Undergraduate medical education

Abstract

Objective: Sexual health is an important issue in a holistic approach in general clinical practice. Inappropriate sexual history taking could lead to improper clinical management. This study aimed to examine perceptions of practice, attitudes toward sexual history taking and their associated factors among final year medical students in southern Thailand.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted between September and October 2022, using a self-reported questionnaire via Google forms. The self-reported questionnaire consisted of questions related to the practice and attitude toward sexual history taking (α = 0.90 and 0.71, respectively), as well as perceptions of the undergraduate medical training on taking a sexual history (α = 0.91). Descriptive data analysis and multiple logistic regression was conducted by using Program R.

Results: Of 91 participants, most were male and Buddhist (54.9% and 87.9%). In general, most medical students rated their proficiency in sexual history taking skills as fair-to-good across all aspects. The majority showed a positive attitude toward sexual history taking (68.1%) and reported that contraception was the main reason that they usually have such discussions with female patients (36.3%), while the prevention of sexual transmitted diseases (STDs) was the most common issue during annual examinations, and when with patients with suspected STDs (27.5% and 49.5%). Male medical students and those who perceived good-to-very good knowledge and well-to very well-trained skills of sexual history taking were significantly associated with more regular sexual history taking. [adjusted OR (95%CI) = 4.51(1.19-17.11) and 5.3 (1.51-18.65), respectively] Moreover, students with a good attitude toward sexual history taking were significantly associated with a perceived good-to-very-good training in both history taking and communication skills.

Conclusion: Most medical students exhibited a positive attitude toward sexual history taking, and they stated that birth control and STDs symptoms were typically the primary subjects they discussed with patients in general. There was a significant association between being male, a perception of good knowledge and well-trained skills, and a more consistent practice of sexual history taking. Additionally, medical students who displayed a good attitude towards taking sexual history significantly showed a perception that they had received sufficient training in both the areas of history taking and communication skills.

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