(436) Behind Closed Doors: Assessing Sexual Medicine Physicians Sexual Behavior and Practices
Authors: Krychman M 
Published: May 2023

Introduction

It believed that those who treat sexual medicine conditions enjoy an active robust and dynamic sexual life with their partners. The perception is that medical professionals who treat male and female sexual problems are more sexually active and maybe more experimental in their behavior. It is perceived that they may have a willingness to discuss sexually related topics in public forums unrelated to work.

Objective

A random sample survey was conducted to assess the sexual behavior of HCP who diagnosis, treat and assess sexual concerns in their patients, to test this hypothesis that they experiment more sexually and enjoy diverse sexual practices.

Methods

A convenience sample of medical health care professionals (57) was assessed by a paper survey. Inclusion criteria included having attended a sexual health continuing medical educational seminar within the last 6 months and being a medical physician with prescribing abilities and assessing sexual medicine patients in your clinical practice. Counselors, therapist, educators and students were excluded from the analysis. Participants were not compensated for their time.

Results

Fifty surveys were included in the analysis (7 excluded due to exclusion criteria). Mean age of participants was 50 years of age ( range 28-66). The sample was predominantly heterosexual (82%) and female (82%) yet bisexuals (10%), gay (4%) and 4% lesbian populations were represented. The majority were married 70% and engaged in sexual intercourse 2.84 times per week (range 0-14.). Sexual behavior was diverse: sex in the shower (88%), view pornography (78%), Sex in public with threat of discovery (78%), anal sex (72%), use of food during sex (72%), use blindfolds (70%), threesome sex (48%), annilingus (40%), and BDSM (38%). Less frequent behavior included: rape fantasy (26%), urinating on a partner (14%) and having a sexual fetish (14%.)Sexual medicine health care professionals are often asked about their sex personal lives (64%), yet rarely disclose (16%) this information. While 32% of those surveyed have had sex in their office, none reported sex with an active patient under their care. Only 18% of HCP preform sexuality sensitivity training with their staff, and only 8% have information in their employee manuals indicating that their center discusses sexually explicit material.

Conclusions

While sexual medicine health care clinicians may enjoy a robust sex life, they remain remiss in sexuality sensitivity training for their employees and health care staff. In addition, their employee manuals do not mention that their center will discuss sexually explicit material. There is an educational gap in health care professionals training for their staff members and employee manual deficiencies in documenting that the center will engage in discussions concerning sexually explicit material, and that sexually charged discussions may occur. This lack of employee handbook documentation could potential lead to sexual harassment and other litigation. Health care professionals should be encouraged to review their employee manuals and modify them regularly to include a detailed discussion of their current scope of practice.

Disclosure

No