Sexuality and Chronic Illness: A Comprehensive Approach.

Sexuality and Chronic Illness: A Comprehensive Approach

By Schover LR, Jensen SB. New York, NY 10012, The Guilford Press, 1988 Primarily written for mental health clinicians, this book is a comprehensive, well-developed work dealing with sexual health and with the sexual problems often experienced by persons who have chronic illness.

The book is divided into three parts. Part 1 describes the integrative model of sexuality assessment and treatment. The authors compare and contrast the integrative (biopsychosocial) model and the traditional medical model of sexual health care. They provide a thorough review of the various theoretical orientations in sexology and review normal sexual behavior and functions across the life cycle. The effects of emotional and physiological factors on sexuality of the chronically ill individual are well described, with case examples appropriately interspersed. Part 1 concludes with a thorough description of assessment of sexual problems in medical patients and a comprehensive overview of the various counseling models for follow-up intervention with these patients. Part 2 covers the effect of specific illnesses on sexuality. Life-threatening illnesses (cardiovascular disease, cancer, and end-stage renal disease), insidious illness (diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and chronic pain), and other areas (major psychiatric disorders, alcoholism, and fertility) are explored. Part 3 covers issues in training both the primary-care clinician and the sexual health care specialist. It concludes with a thorough and thought-provoking chapter on ethical and professional issues in treating the sexual problems of persons who are chronically ill.

This book is a complete, well-organized, and easy-to-read work on sexuality and chronic illness. Interspersed are case examples and other examples designed to reinforce the material presented. An extensive reference list with more than 600 sources provides the reader with information about additional resources. Although primarily written for mental health or other health care practitioners who may be very involved with sexuality and sexual health issues, the book also would be a valuable resource for physical therapy practitioners. The book provides information on sexual problems of individuals who have neuromuscular and skeletal disorders, in addition to providing an excellent resource for the health care practitioner's day-to-day interaction with patients who are chronically ill.