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A patient‐centred approach to sexuality in the face of life‐limiting illness
Author(s) -
Hordern Amanda J,
Currow David C
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2003.tb05567.x
Subject(s) - human sexuality , limiting , personhood , face (sociological concept) , jargon , sex life , psychology , social psychology , medicine , sociology , gender studies , epistemology , engineering , mechanical engineering , social science , philosophy , linguistics
Sexuality is intrinsic to a person's sense of self and can be an intimate form of communication that helps relieve suffering and lessens the threat to personhood in the face of life‐limiting illness. Health professionals struggle to accept that people with life‐limiting illness, especially older people, continue to be sexual beings. People facing life‐limiting illness may appreciate the opportunity to discuss issues of sexuality and intimacy with a trusted health professional. Practical strategies to assist health professionals to communicate effectively about sexuality and intimacy include creating a conducive atmosphere, initiating the topic, using open‐ended questions and a non‐judgemental approach, and avoiding medical jargon.