Survey of sexual dysfunction services in Bristol, UK.

We present the results of a survey of providers of sexual dysfunction services in Bristol. Seventeen stakeholders were identified and were sent a questionnaire to establish the availability of the services to clients. We enquired about provision of time, number and frequency of sessions offered to clients by different service providers.

Recommendations for the management of vaginismus: BASHH Special Interest Group for Sexual Dysfunction.

We present the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) Special Interest Group for Sexual Dysfunction recommendations for the management of vaginismus. The recommendations outline the history, prevalence, aetiological factors, patient assessment and management for this sexual problem. Treatment strategies are discussed along with general recommendations and auditable outcomes.

Medical student awareness of sexual health is poor.

The aim of the study was to assess sexual health knowledge of medical students. Participants from the student population of an English Medical School (University of Bristol) were asked to fill in a questionnaire on the Internet about sexual health issues. The number of correct responses to each question was analysed according to participants' gender and medical school year.

Sexual function and quality of life in genitourinary medicine (GUM) outpatients and preliminary validation of a self-report questionnaire measure.

A cross-sectional questionnaire survey of 216 men and 191 women attending a genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic was undertaken to explore the relationship between sexual symptoms and quality of sexual life, and to test the psychometric validity of a pilot self-report measure of Sexual Function and Quality of Sexual Life (SFQoSL). Statistical comparisons were made with three reference groups: volunteers attending GUM for psychosexual counselling, outpatients at an Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, and staff. Exploratory principal components analysis (with varimax rotation) of questionnaire item responses suggested an 11 (in women) and 13 (in men) factor solution, incorporating four multi-item scales.

Teaching sexual history taking to medical students and examining it: experience in one medical school and a national survey.

Objectives: To assess the feasibility and acceptability of training and examining medical students in taking a sexual history and to compare practice with other medical schools in the UK.

Design: A training programme involving group work, role play and clinical attachments was developed and applied to 131 students at the University of Bristol Medical School. They then underwent an objective structured clinical assessment using simulated patients.

A survey of non-consultant career grade doctors in genitourinary medicine: their knowledge of guidelines and their access to information technology 2001.

Non-consultant career grade (NCCG) doctors in genitourinary medicine (GUM) perform a large proportion of the clinical work. To ensure quality of service delivery to patients, it is essential that these doctors keep up to date. Seven hundred questionnaires were sent to NCCGs in the UK to evaluate their knowledge of national guidelines and access to information technology.