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How Well Do Obstetricians and Gynecologists Address Sensitive Subjects?

OBJECTIVE: The objective is to determine the ob/gyn's perspective of well they address sensitive subjects and their comfort level. This was compared with the ob/gyn patient’s view of how well their physician address their sexuality and their own comfort level in discussing sexuality with their physicians.

MATERIALS and METHODS: IRB approved surveys, regarding a physician’s perspective of how well they address sexual health, orientation, and dysfunction with their patients and their comfort level, were distributed to all ob/gyn residents and attendings in the OU program and to other nationwide Ob/Gyn residency programs. Surveys were distributed to all patients, willing to participate, at the OU ob/gyn clinics.

RESULTS: 73% of physicians report they do not feel they have an adequate level of knowledge to address all sexual health topics. 22% of physicians felt uncomfortable addressing sensitive subjects, which varied among level of training. 33% of the patients wish their ob/gyn would address their sexual health and 18% perceived their physician to be uncomfortable with this. The majority of patients reported their ob/gyn has not addressed any sexual health topics with them.

CONCLUSION: Both physicians and patients believe ob/gyns can do a better job of addressing sexual health. This demonstrates the need to improve physician education and comfort in addressing sensitive subjects and will serve as a basis to develop a training program to help ob/gyns improve their knowledge, comfort, and skills in addressing sexual health.

Topics: CREOG & APGO Annual Meeting, 2015, Resident, Faculty, Interpersonal & Communication Skills, GME, CME, Sexuality,