(077) WOMEN'S SEXUAL HEALTH: AN INTRODUCTION TO A BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL LECTURE FOR EARLY HEALTHCARE TRAINING
Authors: Martinbianco E , Lynn M 
Published: June 2024

Introduction

In 2009, The International Consultation in Sexual Medicine called for the implementation of a greatly expanded, national standard on sexual health education across the nation within medical schools (E Coleman et al. 2013). Yet, over half of medical students throughout the United States and Canada feel that their medical school education left them inadequately prepared to address their patients’ sexual health concerns (Shindel AW et al. 2010). A 2022 study illustrates that outside of basic female anatomy, over half of the Chicago area medical schools failed to address female sexual functioning in their curriculum (N Codispoti et al 2022). Furthermore, today's physicians share similar qualms, as they cite lack of education and training on sexual health as leading to barriers to care and a decrease in screening for sexual dysfunction (Parish SJ et al 2009). Our study delineates a proposed curriculum, analyzing for efficacy as well as the students perceived comfort with addressing this topic in clinic and their perspectives on its importance to their education.

Objective

Assess the need for curriculum supplementation based on student baseline knowledge and comfort with the topic of women's sexual health. Establish the supplemental curriculum, analyzing for efficacy of education and improved student comfort with addressed topics. Integration of supplemental curriculum into study location medical school curriculum and standardization to all area medical school curriculums.

Methods

This self controlled, cross-sectional, survey study investigates first year medical students' initial education level and perspectives on womens’ sexual function (WSF) and womens’ sexual dysfunction (WSD), and their post education knowledge level and perspective. The study team recruited 50 students for our study, approximately one third of the class. The study outcomes were assessed for the efficacy of each of the teaching materials through content based quiz questions, as well as the students perceived comfort with addressing this topic in clinic and their perspectives on its importance to their education as compared to the pre-education survey.

Results

The study resulted in statistically significant improvement from the pretest knowledge in subjects of postmenopausal atrophic vaginitis, perimenopausal risk factors and preventative care, and female HPG axis-based pubertal development. Notably within the demographic assessment, all medical specialties were selected as “of interest” by at least one participant. The participants also assessed that overall women’s sexual health should be taught in their preclinical curriculum and is valuable to their future career, despite the widely varied fields of medicine within interest.

Conclusions

With statistically significant improvement in knowledge of women’s sexual development and function through our proposed curriculum, we aim to advocate for implementation of a standardized preclinical women’s sexual health curriculum. Furthermore, our ongoing studies focus on the development of a curriculum directed at the pathology and treatments of female sexual dysfunction from a biopsychosocial perspective, resulting in a comprehensive curriculum.

Disclosure

No.