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General practitioner attitudes to discussing sexual health issues with older people

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  • Gott, Merryn
  • Hinchliff, Sharron
  • Galena, Elisabeth

Abstract

How health professionals perceive and manage later life sexual problems remains relatively unexplored and, in particular, little is known about the attitudes of GPs, who represent the first point of contact for most older people in the UK who experience sexual health concerns. This paper draws on qualitative data generated from in-depth interviews with 22 GPs working in demographically diverse primary care practices in Sheffield, UK. Analysis identified that GPs do not address sexual health proactively with older people and that, within primary care, sexual health is equated with younger people and not seen as a 'legitimate' topic for discussion with this age group. However, it was apparent that many beliefs held about the sexual attitudes and behaviours of older people were based on stereotyped views of ageing and sexuality, rather than personal experience of individual patients. The discussion considers the implications of these findings for primary care, particularly in relation to education and training.

Suggested Citation

  • Gott, Merryn & Hinchliff, Sharron & Galena, Elisabeth, 2004. "General practitioner attitudes to discussing sexual health issues with older people," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 58(11), pages 2093-2103, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:58:y:2004:i:11:p:2093-2103
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    Cited by:

    1. White, I.D. & Faithfull, S. & Allan, H., 2013. "The re-construction of women's sexual lives after pelvic radiotherapy: A critique of social constructionist and biomedical perspectives on the study of female sexuality after cancer treatment," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 188-196.
    2. Gabriela Gore-Gorszewska, 2020. "“Why not ask the doctor?” Barriers in help-seeking for sexual problems among older adults in Poland," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 65(8), pages 1507-1515, November.
    3. Anne Nobels & Christophe Vandeviver & Marie Beaulieu & Adina Cismaru Inescu & Laurent Nisen & Nele Van Den Noortgate & Tom Vander Beken & Gilbert Lemmens & Ines Keygnaert, 2020. "“Too Grey To Be True?” Sexual Violence in Older Adults: A Critical Interpretive Synthesis of Evidence," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-12, June.
    4. Ana Carvalheira & Cynthia Graham & Aleksandar Stulhofer & Bente Traen, 2020. "Predictors and correlates of sexual avoidance among partnered older adults among Norway, Denmark, Belgium, and Portugal," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 175-184, June.
    5. Jessica L. Tillman & Hayley D. Mark, 2015. "HIV and STI testing in older adults: an integrative review," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 24(15-16), pages 2074-2095, August.

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