Do patients consult their GP for sexual concerns? A cross sectional explorative study

Area of Science:

• General Practice
• Sexual Health
• Primary Care Medicine

Background:

• Sexual health is an integral component of overall well-being.
• General practitioners (GPs) are often the first point of contact for patients' health concerns.
• Understanding the frequency and nature of sexual concerns in primary care is crucial for effective patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of sexual concerns encountered by GPs.
• To identify the types of sexual concerns presented by patients.
• To examine the management strategies employed by GPs for sexual health issues.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional observational study design was utilized.
• Data were collected from 22 general practitioners in Southern Norway.
• Consultations involving sexual concerns were recorded over three consecutive working days using a questionnaire.

Main Results:

• Out of 1,117 consultations, 4.2% involved sexual concerns, ranging from 1.6% to 10.9%.
• Common issues included erectile dysfunction and female sexual pain, alongside concerns about sexual orientation, behavior, and consequences of sexual assault.
• Management primarily involved discussion and advice (76.6%), with medication prescribed in one-third of cases. Patient demographics showed a mean age of 46.7 years, with 60% being female.

Conclusions:

• General practitioners manage a diverse array of sexual concerns in approximately 4% of consultations.
• The study highlights the need for GPs to be equipped to handle a broad spectrum of sexual health issues.
• No association was found between GP characteristics and the frequency of addressing sexual concerns.