TY - JOUR
T1 - Let’s talk about sex(ual) wellbeing! Staff perceptions of implementing a novel service for people with Multiple Sclerosis
AU - Jarvis, Laura
AU - McConville, Kevin
AU - Devereux, Sonia
AU - O'Riordan, Jonathan
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank the interviewees. Special thanks to Professor O?Riordan who supported the establishment of the MS Pelvic health clinic and assisted in this study. The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), 2022.
PY - 2022/1
Y1 - 2022/1
N2 - Background: In people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), a complex interplay of neurological dysfunction, polypharmacy and psychological issues, contrive to impair their sexual and reproductive wellbeing. Realising an unmet need, the Tayside MS service in collaboration with a sexual health clinician (LJ), established a ‘Pelvic Health Clinic’ to improve quality of life for PwMS.Objective: To explore clinician's perceptions of implementing an MS Pelvic Health service with a view to establishing future outcomes for health care professionals about the utility in such a service. Method: In this small-scale qualitative case study, we explored clinician's perceptions of such a clinic adjunct. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcribed, and thematically analysed in a reflexive manner.Results: Five participants consented. Ten sub-themes emerged, which were organised into three main themes: service tensions, patient needs and practitioner feelings.Conclusion: Clinicians highly valued the new MS ‘pelvic health clinic’. Knowing that there was a service available empowered clinicians to ask patients about sexual health needs. Specific referral criteria may help further develop the service and improve patient care. Staff welcome training and support in this area or the option to signpost onwards; either mechanism lends itself to enhancing MS patient needs.
AB - Background: In people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), a complex interplay of neurological dysfunction, polypharmacy and psychological issues, contrive to impair their sexual and reproductive wellbeing. Realising an unmet need, the Tayside MS service in collaboration with a sexual health clinician (LJ), established a ‘Pelvic Health Clinic’ to improve quality of life for PwMS.Objective: To explore clinician's perceptions of implementing an MS Pelvic Health service with a view to establishing future outcomes for health care professionals about the utility in such a service. Method: In this small-scale qualitative case study, we explored clinician's perceptions of such a clinic adjunct. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcribed, and thematically analysed in a reflexive manner.Results: Five participants consented. Ten sub-themes emerged, which were organised into three main themes: service tensions, patient needs and practitioner feelings.Conclusion: Clinicians highly valued the new MS ‘pelvic health clinic’. Knowing that there was a service available empowered clinicians to ask patients about sexual health needs. Specific referral criteria may help further develop the service and improve patient care. Staff welcome training and support in this area or the option to signpost onwards; either mechanism lends itself to enhancing MS patient needs.
KW - Multiple sclerosis
KW - quality of life
KW - symptomatic treatment
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85122383883&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/20552173211072285
DO - 10.1177/20552173211072285
M3 - Article
C2 - 35024165
SN - 2055-2173
VL - 8
SP - 1
EP - 6
JO - Multiple Sclerosis Journal: Experimental, Translational and Clinical
JF - Multiple Sclerosis Journal: Experimental, Translational and Clinical
IS - 1
ER -