Christine Cordle

Teaching and learning about human sexuality in undergraduate medical education

Effective management of the doctors role in relation to human sexuality requires sensitivity and tact, an ability to put patients at ease, use of appropriate language, and therapeutic, non‐discriminatory attitudes. However, previous research suggests that medical students and doctors may hold negative attitudes towards homosexuality and some forms of sexual behaviour. Some educational programmes have started to help students develop communication skills for sexual health consultations, but little work has addressed the broader issue of attitudes and values which may underlie behaviour. It is vital that medical students begin early the process of reflection and recognition of how their attitudes and values might influence their care of patients. In this paper we report on a course designed to initiate this process at Leicester‐Warwick Medical School (LWMS).

Social support for women with chronic pelvic pain: what is helpful from whom?

Eight women with Chronic Pelvic Pain (CPP) were asked, by means of semi-structured interview, what had been helpful and unhelpful in terms of social support from their partners, families, friends, acquaintances, doctors, nurses and other women with CPP. Firstly, thematic analysis employing a pre-defined social support category system revealed that particular forms of tangible support were preferred from specific support providers but emotional and informational support was appreciated from the whole support network. Secondly, interpretative phenomenological analysis revealed three major additional themes: ‘Pain and Suffering’ described the trauma suffered by these patients and the anger and anxiety surrounding their experience; ‘Ideal Social Support’ revealed a picture of desired support consisting of enduring emotional and practical support which did not undermine individual autonomy; ‘Shortfalls in Social Support’ had subsidiary themes entitled ‘Lack of empathy’ and ‘Lack of engagement’. These themes were described and discussed in relation to each other, extant research and their clinical implications.

The use of operant self-control procedures in the treatment of compulsive hair-pulling

Two young female patients with a 10-and 5-year history of compulsive hair pulling were individually treated by the same operant self-control procedure. Zero pulling was achieved at weeks 6 and 13, and maintained at follow-up 15 months later. These findings are discussed in the light of previous behavioural treatments, and the importance of eliciting an appropriate aversive consequence for habit control is stressed.

A case control study of sexual dysfunction in asian and non-asian couples 1981-1985

Abstract Thirty-one Asian clients referred to a well-established sexual dysfunction clinic between 1981 and 1985 were matched for age and sex with 31 non-Asian clients referred in the same period. These two groups were compared on a number of characteristics including type of presenting problem, marital status, referral source and therapy outcome. The findings are discussed in the light of differing sexual mores between the two cultures.