Sexuality beliefs among Cambodians: Implications for health care professionals

An ethnographic study was conducted among 53 Cambodian women and men to generate information about the sexuality beliefs of this group. Major themes included the relationship between women's sexuality and family honor, the acceptance of pregnancy as inevitable, and the limited discussion of sexuality among intimate friends and family members. During the war, sexuality was controlled by the Khmer Rouge when family life was restructured. Personnel in the refugee camps introduced the concept of family planning to Cambodians, exposing them not only to new information, but also to discussion of an intimate topic with strangers. The resettlement experience continues this trend while rumors about family planning methods continue and premarital pregnancies occur. Health care professionals who work with Cambodians need to do so in collaboration and conjunction with the community.