Attitudes Toward Homosexuality Among Nursing Students in a Public University in Malaysia: the Religious Factor

Islam is the federal religion of Malaysia and prohibits homosexuality. However, homosexual people undeniably exist in the community. Because all healthcare professionals are required to abide by the code of professional conduct that demands fair deliverance of care to patients, it is important that they are able to draw a line between professionalism and personal judgment when dealing with homosexual patients so that the standard of care for these individuals is not jeopardized. This study examined Malaysian nursing students' attitudes toward homosexuality. Four hundred and ninety-five nursing students from University Malaya Medical Centre were recruited to participate in this study. Attitudes toward homosexuality and degree of religiosity were measured using the Homosexuality Attitude Scale (HAS) and the Duke University Religion Index (DUREL), respectively. The results showed that nursing students in Malaysia have negative attitudes toward homosexuality, and there is a significant correlation between homosexuality and intrinsic religiosity. These findings provide important baseline information for future research studies, and indicate the need for educational awareness interventions to increase tolerance toward homosexuals among nursing students in Malaysia.