Sexual health is an integral part of healthcare delivery. Too often, we’re weighed down by shame, embarrassment, or our own personal judgments about sexual behavior to have effective conversations about our patient’s sexual lives. But why is it so important?
- Preventative sexual health services save time and money down the road.
Birth control, pap smears, STI tests: these are low-cost health services that prevent complicated, expensive procedures down the line.
Any obstetrician will tell you that the cost of an IUD or monthly oral birth control is way lower, both for the healthcare provider and the patient, than an unintended pregnancy. This is especially true for younger patients, where pregnancy puts extra strain on a pubescent body that is not developed enough to safely carry a pregnancy. Newborns born to adolescents are more likely to have low birth weights and other health complications, and adolescent mothers face an increased risk of maternal mortality from childbirth.
Moreover, sexual health problems tend to compound one another. An untreated STI infection, like gonorrhea, increases the chances of a person contracting another STI. Untreated STIs advance in severity over time, leading to complex and difficult-to-treat conditions like pelvic inflammatory disease, arthritis, and bacteremia.
- It’s an early indicator for other serious health conditions
The body is an organism working as a whole, which means that when one system isn’t functioning properly, other systems can show signs of distress. Sexual dysfunction is frequently a warning sign that something else in the body is out of alignment and needs to be addressed.
A textbook example of this is the relationship between erectile dysfunction and heart disease. When the onset is slow, ED is frequently a warning sign for coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, and congestive heart failure. When a patient comes in request Viagra, it’s probably time for a workup of their cardiac health. But patients wait an average of 6-12 months before bringing up ED concerns with their providers, which means losing valuable time to address cardiac health. A proactive conversation about sexual health can shorten the delay to treatment and get patients on a healthier track, sooner.
3. You might find out your patient isn’t safe in their relationship.
According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, approximately 1 in 4 women and nearly 1 in 7 men in the U.S. have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime. Disclosure of intimate partner violence may come unsolicited in a patient encounter, but it is easier to uncover when addressing specific sexual health concerns.
For instance, an under-reported element of intimate partner violence is reproductive coercion: the effort to control a partner’s reproductive choices by limiting their access to birth control, or conversely, by forcing them to use a specific form of birth control. If a patient is reluctant to be prescribed birth control, despite a desire to avoid pregnancy, a physician may want to inquire about their patient’s relationship and personal feelings of safety.
4. Sexual health is part of overall well-being.
Sexual dysfunction many serve as a warning sign for other, more life-threatening health complications, but sexual health itself is important to many patients.
Sexual dysfunction usually falls into one of four categories: issues with erection, arousal/libido, pain during sex, or orgasm. All four of these elements play an important role in a patient’s ability to have a healthy and fulfilling sexual life.
Kate McCombs, relationships educator at katemccombs.com explains, “My doctor should be my ally in helping me live my best life in my body. Since sex is one of the things I do with my body, they should be my advocate in helping me make sure my body is functioning optimally to participate in those activities as much as I’d like.”
All people are entitled to intimacy that is free of physical pain and emotional discomfort. Addressing sexual dysfunction proactively will help your patients live their sexuality to their fullest and most satisfying potential.
5. Your patients WANT YOU TO.
Medical research dating back to the 1990’s has shown that there is a persistent gap between patient desires for sexual health information and their doctor’s willingness to provide it. In a 2011 study of survivors of gynecological and breast cancers, only 7% of women had recently sought medical help for sexual issues, yet 41.6% were interested in receiving care.
Poor quality or non-existent sex education among the general public, alongside rampant misinformation online, makes a healthcare provider’s role crucial now more than ever. The quickest way to get the clinical and interpersonal skills you need for this task is to join other healthcare professionals for an online sexual health summit or on-demand webinar. Learn this material on your own schedule.
You can also attend a professional conference, with organizations like
the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) or the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Foundation.
Most of all, don’t be afraid to start the conversation. Your patients want you to. And it’s well worth it.
