Age-Related Sexual Myths and Attitudes Toward Ageism Among Turkish Youth

Background: The aim of this study was to examine age-related sexual myths and attitudes toward ageism among Turkish youth. Methods: The sample of this descriptive study consisted of 387 students studying at a university in Turkey. Data for the study were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Ageism Attitude Scale (AAS), and the Sexual Myths Scale (SMS) focusing on “Age and Sexuality” subscale. Descriptive analyses, Student’s t-test, One-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation test were utilized for data evaluation. Results: The AAS mean score was 81.78 ± 3.14, and the SMS “Age and Sexuality” subscale mean score was 10.68 ± 3.10. The significant negative relationship was observed between participants’ age and the SMS “Age and Sexuality” subscale score. Female and married participants had lower scores on the SMS subscale. Additionally, those living in rural areas, and those whose mothers had no formal education had higher scores on the AAS ”positive ageism” subscale. A negative significant relationship was also found between the SMS “Age and Sexuality” subscale and all AAS scores. Conclusion: Enhancing societal awareness through health education is crucial for eliminating myths about sexuality in old age and fostering positive ageism, which in turn can significantly improve the mental health and overall well-being of older adults.