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Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Abstract

Asians, in general, are more conservative about sexual and reproduction-relatedissues than individuals from Western countries. These conservative attitudes often lead toreticence to communicate about sexual and reproductive issues, hindering attempts to promotesex education or contraceptive knowledge, which can heighten the risk for sexually transmitteddisease, unintended pregnancy, induced abortion, and emotional problems. It is critical forhealth care providers working with Asian women to understand them within this culturalcontext in order to provide gynecologic and reproductive care with sensitivity and compassion.Although this issue has been mentioned in some studies conducted in Asia or with Asianimmigrants, none have examined this attitude across Asian countries and how it may impactAsian women’s physical and behavioral health. The authors seek to fill up this gap byreviewing the potential origins and consequences of conservative sexual attitudes amongAsian populations in order to highlight areas of potential intervention to improve sexual andreproductive health of women in Asian cultures.

Publisher

Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University

First Page

471

Last Page

487

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