title: Primary care for women. Comprehensive sexual health assessment.
abstract: This article discusses the fundamentals of sexual functioning and describes the elements of a comprehensive, developmentally relevant sexual health assessment. Personal barriers that may prevent clinicians from comfortably addressing sexual issues are discussed, and useful strategies for facilitating effective, reciprocal communication during a sexual health history are presented. A therapeutic intervention model for counseling, referral, and sexual health assessment of women in the primary care setting is also included.
authors.affiliation: University of Washington, School of Nursing, Seattle 98195, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: MacLaren
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D009721:Nurse Midwives; D011247:Pregnancy; D012723:Sex; D012731:Sex Counseling; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000517:prevention & control