Recommendations For a Public Health Approach
The World
Health Organization (WHO) has just released a comprehensive document aimed at
health service policy makers and providers regarding the crucial importance and
process of communication around sexuality, sexual health and practices.
Two primary
target audiences:
- Health service policy-makers who need to plan for the
inclusion of Brief Sexuality Communication (BSC) in health services and in performance
monitoring systems
- Decision-makers in health-care provider educational
institutions who need to train health-care providers on how
to incorporate BSC into their practice.
From WHO:
“We see this document as an
important achievement in the field of sexual health. It is a critical first
step within the process that aims to facilitate access to evidence-based sexual
health related interventions.”
“Sexual health is gaining more and more
attention from public health practitioners and health service providers because
of its contribution towards overall health and well-being in both adults and
adolescents. Health risks arising from unsafe sexual practices and
sexuality-related human rights abuses such as sexual coercion together
contribute to the global burden of disease.”
“Both research and consultations over the last
decades have identified sexuality-related communication as an issue that
requires urgent attention. While clients would like their health-care providers
to discuss sexual health concerns, health workers lack the necessary training
and knowledge to feel comfortable addressing such issues. There is a lack of
clarity in the field as to the role of sexuality communication in primary care.”
The full PDF document from The World Health
Organization can be downloaded here:
http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/sexual_health/sexuality-related-communication/en/
http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/sexual_health/sexuality-related-communication/en/