Book Review
Discussing sexuality: A guide for heatlh practitioners
Michael W Ross and Lorna D Channon-Little
ISBN: 978-0803698888 1991 145 pages Maclennan and Petty, Sydney
Patricia Cox
The Janet Browning Library, Family Planning Association SA Inc, Kensington SA
This book has been written to act as a guide for health care workers who are aware of the need to take a sexual history from patients but have had little experience in this. The book is aimed specifically at the areas of STDs and sexual dysfunctions and also includes sections on diagnosis of sexual problems, including chronic illness and sexuality, pre- and post- test counselling for STDs [including HIV], primary prevention and legal and ethical 16 considerations. It also covers drug effects on sexuality. It is easy-to-follow and provides a step-by-step guide to history taking, diagnosis and counselling and where appropriate, referral.
The book will be of value to health professionals working in community health centres in areas such as medicine, psychology, nursing, social work, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. This clinical guide will have wide appeal because of its explicit approach without embarrassment, its broad coverage, clear rationale and the fact that it is written by practitioners.
Contents: Introduction; Why take a sexual history • How to take a sexual history • Taking a sexual history • Sexual history taking for sexually transmissible diseases • Sexual counselling • Sexual counselling and treatment • Reactions to STD infection and STD counselling • Sexuality and preventive health care • Sexuality and chronic illness· Sexuality and drug-related history • Pre- and post-term counselling for sexually transmissible diseases • Legal and ethical considerations • Understanding and counselling the homosexual patient • Index
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