Determination of academicians knowledge levels, attitudes and affecting factors regarding infertility

The aim of this study is to determine the knowledge levels, attitudes and influencing factors of academicians about infertility. The research is of descriptive type and the universe of the research consists of academicians working at state universities in the Western Black Sea region. The sample of the study consisted of 561 academicians. The study was carried out between June 2021 and December 2021. In order to obtain the data, a questionnaire about demographic characteristics was used, the Infertility Knowledge Test (IBT) was used to measure the knowledge of academicians about infertility, and the Attitudes Towards Infertility Scale (IITS) was used to measure attitudes towards infertility. Frequency analysis (number, percentage, mean), independent groups t-test, ANOVA test, Kruskal Wallis analysis and correlation analysis were used in the analysis of the data. In order to test that the questionnaires and scales to be used in the study are understandable and applicable, a preliminary application was made with 41 academicians. As a result of the pre-application, it was determined that sufficient conditions were met. In a study conducted with 561 academicians, the reliability coefficient Kuder-Richardson 20 (KR-20) of the Infertility Knowledge Test was found to be 0.80, and the Cronbach Alpha value of the Attitudes towards Infertility Scale (α) was 0.825. The average score of the academicians on the IBT is 23.63±3.697, and the average score of the academicians on the Attitudes towards Infertility Scale (IYTS) is 50.86±6.16. A significant difference was found between academicians' gender, presence of infertile individuals in the family or environment, their status of receiving infertility treatment, and infertility knowledge levels (p<0.05). A significant relationship was found between the academicians' gender, having a child, and academic title and their IYTÖ scores (p<0.05). It was determined that there was a weak, positive linear relationship between IBT and IATS scores (r=0.099, p=0.019). As a result of the research, it was detected that the knowledge level of the academicians about infertility was high and their attitudes were positive. It is thought that with the dissemination of studies on infertility, lack of knowledge and attitudes towards infertility will increase positively. Key Words: Infertility, Academician, Knowledge Level, Attitude Towards Infertility, Nursing.