. Sexual health consultations are important because STIs can have serious consequences for a patient’s physical and mental wellbeing. If left untreated, STIs can cause serious complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility and genital warts in women and erectile dysfunction and anal bleeding in men. In addition, a patient’s sexual history can help identify risk factors for infection.
However, a significant number of individuals who could benefit from attending a sexual health consultation do not do so, leading to an increase in the risk of STI complications and transmission to others. This is particularly true for young people who are disproportionately affected by sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as chlamydia and unintended pregnancy. To prevent STI complications and minimise the risk of transmission, it is important for young people to attend sexual health consultations.
Despite the benefits of sexual health consultations, there are several barriers to attendance. These include concerns over the implications of sexual activity, the stigma associated with STIs and a lack of access to confidential services. These barriers can be overcome through effective intervention strategies. In this article, we explore how behavioural theory and behaviour change techniques can be applied to the delivery of sexual health consultations to encourage attendance.
The authors acknowledge that the use of behavioural science to inform interventions has the potential to be transformative in terms of both delivery and outcome. However, implementing these methods is challenging, and more research is required to develop evidence-based best practice.
To help address the barriers to attendance, this article suggests that healthcare professionals should aim to put patients at ease and be prepared to link them to relevant support services. Clinicians should also be aware of their own biases when taking a sexual history and take steps to ensure they are not imposing their own prejudices on their patients. Finally, it is recommended that the use of a standardized questioning approach should be considered to reduce the burden on healthcare professionals and improve consistency in clinical practice.
Helen L Coons, Ph.D, ABPP is an associate professor and clinical director, Women’s Behavioral Health and Wellness Service Line, Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine.
She is a board-certified clinical health psychologist specializing in reproductive and sexual health, women’s mental health and gender identity. Her work focuses on the development of a multidisciplinary consultation service for women with reproductive and sexual concerns at the University of Colorado. This includes a team of clinicians from OB-GYN, gynecology, medical/surgical/radiation oncology, physical therapy, colorectal surgery and psychiatry. The service provides a range of sex-related medical services including medical consultations, gynecologic exam, pelvic ultrasound and sex reassurance counseling. In addition, the team provides psychological and psychosocial support for a variety of issues such as sexual dysfunction, infertility, sexual abuse, relationship conflict and STIs.
