Patients' experiences of sexuality as a taboo subject in the Danish healthcare system: a qualitative interview study.

Background: Sexual dysfunction is common in patients diagnosed with cancer or chronic disease, having psychological, emotional and social ramifications. The consequences are ultimately significant impaired quality of life and reduced mental well‐being, and it therefore requires professional attentio...

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Publicado en:Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences Vol. 33; no. 1; pp. 57 - 67
Autores principales: Traumer, Line, Jacobsen, Michael Hviid, Laursen, Birgitte Schantz
Formato: questionnaire/scale research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Wiley-Blackwell Mar2019
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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      dt: Mar2019
      vid: 33
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      pub: Wiley-Blackwell
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        10.1111/scs.12600
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        atl: Patients' experiences of sexuality as a taboo subject in the Danish healthcare system: a qualitative interview study.
      aug:
        au:
          Traumer, Line
          Jacobsen, Michael Hviid
          Laursen, Birgitte Schantz
        affil: Clinical Nursing Research Unit, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg Denmark
      sug:
        subj:
          Sexuality
          Patient Attitudes
          Sexual Dysfunction, Female Psychosocial Factors
          Patients Psychosocial Factors
          Physician-Patient Relations
          Human
          Qualitative Studies
          Attitude of Health Personnel
          Denmark
          Empirical Research
          Female
          Cancer Patients
          Chronic Disease Diagnosis
          Semi-Structured Interview
          Thematic Analysis
          Communication
          Descriptive Research
          Purposive Sample
          Adult
          Middle Age
          Aged
          Data Analysis Software
          Conversation
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Middle Aged: 45-64 years
          Aged: 65+ years
          Female
      ab: Background: Sexual dysfunction is common in patients diagnosed with cancer or chronic disease, having psychological, emotional and social ramifications. The consequences are ultimately significant impaired quality of life and reduced mental well‐being, and it therefore requires professional attention. However, evidence suggests that sexuality is a taboo subject in the healthcare system, as healthcare professionals and patients rarely initiate conversations on this subject. Aim: Therefore, the purpose of this study was to understand how patients diagnosed with cancer or chronic disease experiencing sexual dysfunction experience sexuality as a taboo subject in the healthcare system. Methods: Ten women diagnosed with cancer or chronic disease experiencing sexual dysfunction were recruited from the Sexological Centre in Aalborg, Denmark. Using an interview guide, semi‐structured interviews were conducted and a qualitative thematic analysis was performed. Results: The analysis revealed that sexuality is a sensitive and taboo subject in the Danish healthcare system. Some patients initiated conversations about their sexuality, but felt rejected by healthcare professionals, who dismissed these initiatives, whereas other patients were reluctant to discuss sexuality, but did not experience healthcare professionals bringing up sexuality either. Despite these differences between patients' experiences, sexuality constituted a taboo subject, as patients or healthcare professionals deliberately avoided discussing the patients' sexuality‐related issues. Conclusions: Communication about sexuality is essential for improving patients' well‐being, and healthcare professionals should routinely address sexuality and sexual intimacy with patients diagnosed with cancer or chronic disease in order to break the taboo and accommodate patients' needs.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        questionnaire/scale
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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