title: What female patients feel about the offer of a chaperone by a male sexual health practitioner.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the experience and views of female patients when they were offered a chaperone by a male sexual health practitioner for a genital examination. Between November 2007 and January 2008, an anonymous survey was administered to female patients seen by male practitioners at Melbourne Sexual Health Centre. None of the 79 (95% CI 0-5%) patients who were offered a chaperone and declined one reported that they were uncomfortable declining the offer. The qualitative analysis showed that some participants appreciated being offered the option of a chaperone even if they did not want one and that the professional attributes of the practitioner influenced their decision not to have a chaperone. Only 8% (95%CI 4-15%) felt uncomfortable when asked if they would like a chaperone. The results reassure that when a female patient declines the offer of a chaperone within a sexual health clinic, the male practitioner can feel confident that this is the expression of the patient's wish.
authors.affiliation: School of Population Health, Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, 580 Swanson Street, Carlton 3053, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Simanjuntak
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cummings
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Snow
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Fairley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010808:Physical Examination; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires