The knowledge of and educational interest in sexual medicine among Finnish medical and midwifery students: A web-based study.

INTRODUCTION: Many elements of life can affect sexual health; thus, healthcare professionals require good knowledge of sexual medicine to encounter patients with these issues. We aimed to study final-year medical and midwifery students' self-reported knowledge of factors associated with sexuality and their knowledge of how to evaluate and treat/counsel patients with sexual problems. In addition, educational interests regarding sexual medicine were assessed. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, a web-based questionnaire was distributed to final-year medical (n=233) and midwifery (n=131) students graduating between December 2018 and May 2019 in Finland. RESULTS: Both student groups self-reported insufficient knowledge of how to consider sexuality in mentally ill patients, how to encounter victims of domestic violence/sexual abuse, and how multiculturalism affects sexuality. In addition, compared to the midwifery students, the medical students were more likely to self-report insufficient knowledge of the basics of sexual pleasure and treating the lack of it (p<0.001), including how to treat sexual problems due to relationship problems (p<0.001) or chronic diseases (p=0.015). Although several educational areas of interest arose, both student groups had two mutual most desirable educational interests: 1) reasons for dyspareunia and its treatment, n=117/233 (50.2%) for medical students, and n=60/131 (45.8%) for midwifery students; and 2) lack of sexual desire and its treatment, n=100/233 (42.9%) for medical students, and n=55/131 (42.0%) for midwifery students. CONCLUSIONS: In both student groups, the self-reported knowledge of sexual medicine was insufficient. Thus, more education on sexual medicine should be included in the curricula of medical and midwifery education.

Attitudes and practice patterns of Finnish obstetrician-gynecologists regarding patients' sexual problems.

OBJECTIVE: Female sexual problems are common but are not routinely assessed in obstetrician-gynecologist appointments. Therefore, we evaluated obstetrician-gynecologists' attitudes and practice patterns regarding their patients' sexual problems. STUDY DESIGN: A web-based questionnaire was used to collect information from each respondent on gender, age, education, occupational status, and the total number of patients treated per day and sexual issues dealt with per day. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: This study covered three fields of interest: 1) attitudes toward sexual problems, 2) practice patterns in sexual history-taking, and 3) practice patterns in the treatment of sexual problems. RESULTS: Of the 328 respondents, 299 provided eligible responses (specialists, 83 %, n = 249; residents, 17 %, n = 50). Almost all obstetrician-gynecologists (95 %) considered treating sexual problems as an important health care practice, but only 45 % and 53 % asked about sexual problems and sexual life satisfaction during general medical history-taking, respectively. Most obstetrician-gynecologists (86 %) used open conversation to assess sexual history. Half (52 %) of them reported that diagnosing female sexual problems is difficult, with the female obstetrician-gynecologists (54 %) more likely to report difficulty than the male obstetrician-gynecologists (29 %). Of the obstetrician-gynecologists, 15 % prescribed medications, whereas 58 % prescribed other treatments. A third (34 %) received distinct instructions from their organization for referring patients to continued care. CONCLUSIONS: Although almost all obstetrician-gynecologists reported that treating sexual problems is an important health care issue, fewer than half routinely inquired about sexual problems. The practice patterns regarding sexual problems were disorganized. Our results show a need for additional clinical practice guidelines and education in sexual medicine.