Sexual health and the practice nurse: a survey of reported practice and attitudes

Background. practice nurses have an important role in the provision of sexu al health services in general practice. Aim. This study set out to determine practice nurses' reported practice and training in sexual health, attitudes towards sexual health, barriers to di scussing sexual health with patients, and training needs. Method. A confidential self-administered postal questionnaire survey was se nt to all 298 practice nurses in one English health district (Leicestershir e). Results. Completed questionnaires were returned by 234 practice nurses (res ponse rate 79%). Most nurses routinely offered well-person checks (90%), ce rvical smears (89%), travel clinics (83%), saw women with genito-urinary sy mptoms (77%) and offered family planning advice (54%). Only a minority of n urses (13%) Offered specific teenage health clinics. Sexual health issues w ere always discussed in a majority of consultations when giving family plan ning advice (65%) and in women with genito-urinary symptoms (58%). Most pra ctice nurses (62%) had undertaken at least one course dealing with sexual h ealth issues in the last 5 years. Uptake of training was, however, signific antly lower in certain groups of nurses, An analysis of the attitude statem ents suggested that nurses were more comfortable discussing sexual health i ssues with female patients and teenagers than with male patients and those of different sexual orientations. Nurses who had received training reported move positive attitudes towards discussing sexual health issues with patie nts, Conclusion. Practice nurses offer a wide range of services in which the nee d to be able to take a sexual history and offer appropriate advice is impor tant, There is scope to improve the provision of sexual health services by nurses in general practice, particularly in relation to services for teenag ers.