Healthcare professionals encouraged to discuss sexual health openly at Tampere University Hospital in Finland

Healthcare professionals are encouraged to openly discuss sexual health with their patients, according to nursing counselors at Tampere University Hospital. Eveliina Keskinen emphasized that patients expect discussions about sexual matters as part of their care, and it is a duty of the healthcare staff to facilitate these conversations.

In previous reports, individuals recounted experiences where sexual health topics were overlooked during medical treatment, leading to uncertainty and long-lasting health issues. This issue has gained recognition among professionals. Tampere University Hospital began integrating sexual counseling into patient care in 2006, a practice that has now expanded to other hospitals, resulting in the availability of sexual health counselors in all university hospitals.

As part of their ongoing efforts, TAYS has developed an online course for staff in the Pirkanmaa welfare area to address sexual health awareness in patient care. The course was created by Asplund and Keskinen, who noted that similar programs are lacking in other welfare areas.

Education regarding sexual health is also improving among healthcare professionals. For instance, at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, sexual health education is a mandatory component in training for midwives, nurses, and practical nurses. However, medical training in sexual medicine remains inconsistent, often depending on individual educators rather than systematic inclusion in curricula.

Asplund highlighted the importance of approaching sexual health topics with confidence, noting that healthcare workers frequently possess more knowledge than they realize. Clinicians are advised to provide guidance when they can and to be honest when uncertain about specific questions posed by patients.