Objectives: Young people face barriers that lead to gaps in sexual and reproductive health care communications. Issues such as discomfort discussing sexual health lead to inadequate delivery of services resulting in unintended pregnancies and STIs. Closing this communication gap between patients and health care practitioners would improve communication and health outcomes. The objective of this study was to gain feedback from focus groups about: (a) barriers and facilitators to communication surrounding sexual health and (b) the feasibility and acceptability of a question prompt list (QPL) and informational video emphasizing asking questions about sexual health during medical visits as tools young people could use to be more involved during visits.
Methods: Three focus groups were conducted: two with young adults (n=14) and one with practitioners (n=5) of sexual/reproductive health care services. Practitioners were recruited from healthcare clinics.
Results: Young adults were aged 18-22 years old. Participants identified barriers to communication such as embarrassment over sexual health topics and practitioner assumptions about patients' base of knowledge. A facilitator to communication was patient-friendly language. Focus group participants offered suggestions on how to improve the QPL as well as themes that should be covered in an educational video. Participants viewed the QPL and educational video as useful for encouraging conversations between patient and practitioner.
Conclusions: Many barriers obstruct communication between young adults and practitioners on topics relating to sexual health. Both the QPL and an educational video could be used to enhance patient-practitioner communication.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/ijamh-2023-0181 | DOI Listing |
J Midwifery Womens Health
January 2025
Sexual Health and Reproductive Equity Program, School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley, California.
As access to doula services expands through state Medicaid coverage and specific initiatives aimed at improving maternal health equity, there is a need to build and improve upon relationships between the doula community, hospital leaders, and clinical staff. Previous research and reports suggest rapport-building, provider education, and forming partnerships between community-based organizations and hospitals can improve such relationships. However, few interventions or programs incorporating such approaches are described in the literature.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Infect Dis
January 2025
Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the causative agent of gonorrhoea, causes significant morbidity worldwide and can have long-term impacts on reproductive health. The greatest global burden of gonorrhoea occurs in low- and middle-income settings. Global public health significance is increasing due to rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which threatens future gonorrhoea management.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntern Med J
January 2025
Department of Infectious Diseases, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Background: With improved outcomes in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) due to the use of anti-retroviral therapy, ensuring adequate preventative healthcare and management of HIV-related comorbidities is essential.
Aims: To evaluate adherence with recommended guidelines for comorbidity and immunisation status screening amongst people living with HIV within a hospital-based setting across two timepoints.
Methods: A single-centre retrospective case series was conducted at a hospital between 2011 and 2021.
Contracept Reprod Med
January 2025
School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Background: Female Condoms are 90-95% effective against HIV transmission when correctly and consistently used and are also cost-effective. In general, condoms prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unwanted pregnancies. Although the COVID-19 pandemic had the potential to undermine routine healthcare services delivery and utilisation, there is limited evidence about the pandemic's effect on Female Condom uptake in Gauteng, one of the hardest-hit provinces in South Africa.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!