Who needs sex therapy anyways? : Guideline for primary health care – how and when to refer patient to a sex therapist

Abstract

The purpose of the project was to promote patients’ sexual health by developing easy-to-use guideline for primary health care for how patient can be referred to sexual counselling or sex therapist. Sexual health care should be available to everyone at a low threshold. Study was carried out as a research development task, in which working life was strongly involved throughout the development process. The objective to this project was to make visible the fact how variable sexual health issues are and how important sexual health is to a person’s overall health.

The usability of the guideline together with the requirements of the working environment of the health station was raised as a priority. Assessment of the need for new practices, which are updating the care path, taking the patient's needs into account as a starting point for the service, clarifying the division of labor and utilizing the plan and strengthening competence through training, orientation and support from the work community.

The empirical material of the development task consists of the practice of the Kalasatama health station and an expert panel, which included sexologists working for the city of Helsinki and nurses from Kalasatama health station. The framework utilizes multidisciplinary research in the field of sexology. The aim of the development process was to implement material that supports sexual health care, which will enable the patient to be referred to a sexologist in a timely manner. The guidelines also include the objectives of support and practical activities, as well as contact information for actors providing crisis support at the third sector.