Objective: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the current state of sexuality education in Japanese medical schools and the association of the position title of Japanese Society for Sexual Medicine (JSSM).
Methods: We surveyed the four factors, the number of lecture components, the time of curriculum hours, the degree of sufficiency level of the components, and the degree of sufficiency level of the curriculum hours in medical schools in Japan. Also, we have investigated the four factors difference among three groups, Directors, Council, and Non-member of JSSM.
Results: Of the 80 medical schools, the faculties of the Urological department of 69 medical schools (86%) responded. The mean number of lecture components was 7.8. The number of lecture components of Directors (10.2) had significantly higher than Council (4.7) and Non-member (7.3). There is no significant difference the number of lecture components between Council and Non-member. The mean curriculum hour was 113 minutes. The curriculum hour of Directors (152.6) was significantly longer than Non-member (95.9). There is no significant difference the curriculum hour between Council (106.7) and Non-member. The satisfactory degree of the components was very satisfied (1.5%), satisfied (26.5%), not satisfied (55.9%), and dissatisfied (16.5%) for the faculties. The satisfactory degree of the curriculum hours was very long (0%), long (0%), moderate (50%), short (45.6%), and very short (4.4%) for the faculties. There is no significant difference the satisfactory degree of the components and the curriculum hours among three groups.
Conclusions: The Directors of JSSM have a positive attitude for sexuality education in Japanese medical schools. While curriculum hour is insufficient for the faculties in half of medical schools, over 70% medical schools answered that the lecture components are insufficient, too. Now we should make every effort to achieve sufficient components for sexuality education. We need the standardized syllabus and materials for sexual medicine in medical schools. These syllabus and materials should to be mainly made by Directors. This is the first Japanese study on sexuality education in medical schools.
