Turkish Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of Nıjmegen Gender Awareness in Medicine Scale: Assessment of Validity and Relıability

Abstract

Objective: Gender affects how we serve and receive medical care. World Health Organization evaluates gender as a social determinant of health. However, a knowledge gap exists among physicians. The present study aims to adapt Nijmegen Gender in Medicine Awareness Scale (N-GAMS) in the Turkish language and define Turkish medical students’ gender awareness level and related factors. Methods: Two hundred seventy-two medical students participated. The Ambivalent Sexism Inventory, Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy- Student Version, and N-GAMS were utilized to collect data; in addition to sociodemographic form. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis repeated a three-factor structure, as previously demonstrated. The Cronbach’s alpha of the Turkish N-GAMS was 0.887. Criteria-related validity analysis resulted as follows: Gender sensitivity was associated with higher empathy and higher benevolent sexism. Gender role ideology toward patients scores were related to the male sex, lower empathy, and higher levels of sexist attitudes regarding both hostile and benevolent types. Gender role ideology toward doctors was higher in male students, in those with lower empathy, and in ambivalent sexism. Turkish medical students in our sample were less gender-sensitive than their European counterparts. Conclusion: N-GAMS is valid and reliable among Turkish medical students. There is a need for training in gender awareness in medical faculties.