Better recognition of sexuality and sexual health needed

Healthcare professionals, including aged care staff, need to consider issues of sexuality and sexual health as part of routine practice, and this should be supported through training and policies, an expert says.

Healthcare professionals, including aged care staff, need to consider issues of sexuality and sexual health as part of routine practice, and this should be supported through training and policies, an expert says.

Some people experience challenges or changes related to their sexual health and expression as a result of ageing, chronic illness or disability. This can be related to changes in the body, as well as a reaction to medications, treatments, or the environment.

Despite sexual expression remaining important to many people’s wellbeing, occupational therapist and sexuality advisor to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of WA, Narelle Higson, said many healthcare professionals did not incorporate sexuality and sexual health into their routine practice.

Narelle Higson
Narelle Higson

Ms Higson said research indicated health professionals often expected that an individual would raise their sexual concerns, and vice versa.

“Often it’s just not talked about at all,” she told Australian Ageing Agenda ahead of her presentation at the upcoming ATSA Independent Living Expo.

Health professionals could mistakenly assume sex was no longer important, or were reluctant to raise the issue, often due to lack of sufficient training or education on the subject.

“We think that it’s not an issue; that they might be too old, too sick, or too disabled, or that they have other health priorities and sexual expression wouldn’t be on their agenda,” she said.

Supporting staff

Ms Higson said that recognition of the issue was the first step to addressing sexual health and sexual expression effectively in care.

“Unless we recognise that the people we’re working with are sexual beings, then we’re not even going to think to bring it up in the first place,” she said.

It was also important that organisations, such as aged care providers, had policies in place, detailing topics such as how situations were handled, rights, record keeping and privacy. Similarly, it was important that staff felt supported by colleagues and that there was teamwork on this issue.

“Without those policies, health professionals might feel on shaky ground; they don’t know if they’re going outside of what management will approve of, if their team members are going to approve, or who has what rights,” said Ms Higson.

Policies were also important to ensure people did not let their own beliefs or values around sexuality affect or guide their practice, she said. “If you’re coming from your own framework, that is not necessarily in the best interests of the person,” she said.

Further, knowledge and education on how the conditions and illnesses that health professionals commonly saw potentially impacted sexual function and participation was vital to allow professionals to feel adequately equipped to raise the subject.

Ms Higson said that there were some areas of sexuality and sexual health that required specialty, such as when people had a history of sexual abuse.

However, for the most part, she argued professionals were able to apply the skills and knowledge of their particular discipline to whatever issues someone was facing.

For example, from an occupational therapy perspective, Ms Higson said helping to support sexual expression was just like helping to support any other meaningful occupation.

When awareness, policies and education were covered off on, Ms Higson said health professionals often felt more comfortable to bring up a conversation around sexual health and expression.

“I think just starting the communication is important,” she said. “It might be important to the person and we won’t know unless we check in with them.”

Related coverage:

ATSA Independent Living Expo will be held at Melbourne Showground 18 – 19 May

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Tags: ATSA Independent Living Expo, Narelle Higson, sexual-health, sexuality,

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