title: [Is there adequate discussion between psychiatrists and their patients regarding patients' sexual problems?].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sexual problems arise frequently among psychiatric patients, either as a symptom of psychiatric disorders or as a side effect of psychotropic medication. However, it is questionable whether in daily practice psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists give enough attention to patients’ sexual problems.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate how much attention psychiatrists and trainees give to patients’ sexual problems and to discover what factors influence the amount of attention they give.
  
  
  METHODS
  All psychiatrists and trainees working at two academic psychiatric centres and three mental health institutes in the province of North Holland were asked to complete an online questionnaire about the discussion of sexual problems.
  
  
  RESULTS
  164 psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists completed the questionnaire (response rate 44%). About 50% of the respondents stated that they spent less than five minutes per week discussing sexual problems with their patients. When prescribing antidepressants and antipsychotics, psychiatrists and trainees often failed to inform patients about sexual side effects (33% in the case of antidepressants and 50% for antipsychotics).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The investigation reveals that psychiatrists and trainees give little attention to sexuality problems of patients. The main reason for this seems to be feelings of shame and incompetence. Lack of time was not identified as a significant factor. We believe that the situation will improve considerably if psychiatrists and trainees involved in training programmes and supervisory activities give more attention to sexual problems.
authors.affiliation: hannekevoermans@hotmail.com
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Voermans
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Van
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peen
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Hengeveld
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012731:Sex Counseling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012752:Shame; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents