Barriers to the expression of sexuality in the older person: the role of the health professional

McAuliffe, Linda; Bauer, Michael; Nay, Rhonda

doi:10.1111/j.1748-3743.2007.00050.x

Cited by 49 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…In studies of clinical settings, patients often had specific ideas about how providers should inquire about sexual health. 25,27,34 Many patients felt their doctors should explain their rationale for asking sexual health questions, and some patients felt sexual health should only be discussed if a specific symptom or problem were present. Patients also reported feeling ashamed of their sexual problems or worried that providers might perceive them as sexually abnormal.…”

Section: Educating Patients About Sexual Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Of importance, in facilitating this approach, providers may need to examine how their own attitudes and values about sexual health affect patient interactions. 27 A sexual health approach can also address tensions about how to best achieve sexual health. 6,17 Currently, certain prevention strategies, (e.g., promoting abstinence) are sometimes seen as being at odds with other strategies (e.g., promoting safe sex).…”

Section: Education and Training Of Health-care Providersmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some older patients assumed any sexual problems were solely the result of aging and, thus, inevitable. 27 Overall, patients need to better understand their own ability to start, stop, and control the direction of any patient-provider discussions of sexual health. 20 Efforts to educate patients should take these important factors into account.…”

Section: Educating Patients About Sexual Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sexual Health Training and Education in the U.S.

et al. 2013

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In 2011, both the National Prevention Strategy and Healthy People 2020 recognized "reproductive and sexual health" as a key area for improving the lives of Americans.1,2 This increasing national emphasis on sexual health provides an important opportunity to refocus the efforts of U.S. health-care professionals. While reproductive health has historically been considered a U.S. public health priority, 3 the addition of sexual health to the short list of national priorities has important implications for clinicians and patients. Broadly embracing the concept of sexual health in health-care settings has the potential to reduce redundancy in care compared with current, more categorical approaches and to minimize the stigma associated with some aspects of sexuality and related adverse outcomes. These changes could increase both clinical efficiency and the proportion of the population receiving sexual health services.To foster sexual health, the National Prevention Strategy and Healthy People 2020 recommend increasing access to sexual health services, emphasizing sexual health education and encouraging screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).1,2 To be most effective, these activities should involve both health-care providers (physicians, nurses, and related clinical providers) and patient audiences. Although this new national emphasis represents an opportunity to improve sexual health throughout the country, it also represents a challenge for the health-care community. The approach to patient care in matters of sexuality and sexual behavior will need to be reframed in subtle but critical ways. To meet this challenge, educational efforts for both health-care providers and patients will need to shift to support a more comprehensive approach to understanding and promoting sexual health throughout the life span.

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Section: Educating Patients About Sexual Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Education and Training Of Health-care Providersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Educating Patients About Sexual Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sexual Health Training and Education in the U.S.

et al. 2013

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“…However, despite a growing recognition of the importance of this issue, studies on the sexual expression of older people living in nursing homes are scarce, thus making it a less investigated topic (Gastmans, 2014;Elias & Ryan, 2011). More specifically, little is known about how FCs perceive and manage later life sexual health problems (Bentrott & Margrett, 2011;Gott, Hinchliff, & Galena, 2004;Roach, 2004), highlighting a need to develop the evidence base which would support the inclusion of sexual health and policy guidelines in the education and training of residential care home staff (McAuliffe, Bauer, & Nay, 2007). Moreover, with respects to the meaning of caring for older adults and their sexuality, most studies have focused only on perceptions and attitudes of FCs, and do not emphasis on FC's beliefs.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

How do formal caregivers experience the sexuality of older adults? Beliefs and attitudes towards older adults’ sexuality

Monteiro¹,

Humboldt²,

Leal³

2017

Psychol. Community Health

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Aim: The way caregivers experience the sexuality of older adults has implications to their identity and sexual manifestations. There are few studies that focus on the meaning of caring of older adults, taking into account their sexuality. This study aims to explore the experiences of formal caregivers (FC) towards sexuality among older adults, and to obtain a description of their experiences. Method: Complete data were available from six caregivers working in a nursing home. We used a sociodemographic questionnaire and topic interview guide. The data was subjected to content analysis. Results:The most prevalent response of the interviewed participants for 'beliefs about the interest in sexuality' was 'health limitations despite the desire', for 'observed behaviours related to sexual expression' was 'masturbation', and for 'reactions/behaviours due to the demonstration of sexual expression was 'using humour". Conclusion: Future educational and intervention programs in the institution should take into account our findings to improve their efficacy on discussing these issues and to ultimately promote sexual wellbeing.Keywords: attitudes, beliefs, formal caregiver, nursing home, older adults' sexuality ResumoObjetivo: A forma como os cuidadores experienciam a sexualidade dos idosos tem implicações na sua identidade e nas suas manifestações sexuais. Existem poucos estudos que se focam no significado do cuidar dos idosos, tendo em conta a sua sexualidade. Este estudo tem como objetivo explorar as experiências dos cuidadores formais (FC) em relação à sexualidade nos idosos e obter uma descrição das suas experiências. Método: Foram disponibilizados dados completos de seis cuidadores que trabalham num lar de idosos. Utilizámos um questionário sociodemográfico e um guião de entrevista. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de conteúdo. Resultados: A resposta mais prevalente dos participantes entrevistados para "crenças acerca do interesse pela sexualidade" foi "limitações de saúde apesar do desejo", para "comportamentos observados de expressão sexual" foi "masturbação", e para "reações/ comportamentos face à expressão sexual" foi "uso do humor". Conclusão: Os futuros programas educacionais e de intervenção na instituição devem ter em consideração os nossos resultados de forma a melhorar a sua eficácia na discussão dessas questões e, em última instância, promover o bem-estar sexual. There are several factors that can affect sexual manifestation in older adults, such as the lack of privacy, the negative attitudes of FCs, lack of a sexual partner, cognitive dysfunctions, health problems and physical disabilities, amongst which the main barriers appear to be the attitudes of the FC and the lack of privacy (Parker, 2007;Tarzia, Bauer, Fetherstonhaugh, & Nay, 2013). PalavrasResearch has shown that FCs play a central role in the care of institutionalized older adults and indirectly determine beliefs and actions and which sexual acts are tolerated (Lyder, 1994). The attitudes and knowledge of FCs regarding the sexuality of ...

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“…Coalition of the Disabled, 1990;Karlen & Moglia, 1995;Pederson, 1993;Schrover & Jensen, 1988;Tallmer, 1984;Tilley, 1996;Woodard & Rollin, 1981). Further, it is not uncommon for administrative staff and caregivers to consider intimacy and sexual expression between residents, regardless of their marital status or sexual orientation, as immoral or illegal (Brown, 1989;Cameron, 1970;"Denial of Residents," 1995;Dupras & Poissant, 1987;Earle, 2001;Golde & Kogan, 1959;Kempton & Kah, 1991;Langer, 2009;McAuliffe, Bauer, & Nay, 2007;Pfeiffer, Verwoerdt, & Wang, 1968;Schrover & Jensen, 1988;Shakespeare et al, 1996;"Staff Should Accept," 1995).…”

Section: Residents' Barriers To Intimacy and Sexual Expression Negatimentioning

confidence: 99%

A phenomenological study of anticipated intimacy and sexual expression needs of aging male and female baby boomers.

Oak¹

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ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThe doctoral education process is an adventurous journey on its own without the rocky roads, detours, and sudden left turns that appear and attempt to block us from completing the journey and at minim takes on detours that take as far away from the path we began and visualized. Fortunately, I had the fortune of selecting a tremendous mentor and dissertation chair, Dr. Anita P. Barbee, Ph. D. who helped me navigate those some very difficult times due to health, injury, and personal life crisis that kept me on going in The purpose of this study was to understand the phenomenon of how heterosexual Baby Boomers define and understand intimacy, sexual expression, along expectations and desires relating to their respective expressions across the lifespan through their individual experiences and reflections. A set of guiding questions were used in a hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative research design. Data was gathered from thirteen subjects (n=13) using the Rappaport Time Line (RTL) that was used to develop individualized semi-structured interviews and follow-up interviews that were professionally transcribed. These were coded to identify emergent themes. Results of the study provided insight into the phenomenon of how heterosexual Baby Boomers define and understand intimacy, sexual expression, expectations and desires relating to their respective expressions across the lifespan.

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Barriers to the expression of sexuality in the older person: the role of the health professional

Cited by 49 publications

References 32 publications

Sexual Health Training and Education in the U.S.

Sexual Health Training and Education in the U.S.

How do formal caregivers experience the sexuality of older adults? Beliefs and attitudes towards older adults’ sexuality

A phenomenological study of anticipated intimacy and sexual expression needs of aging male and female baby boomers.

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