Sexual history taking in primary care: a practical communication approach
Authors:
M. Broul
Authors‘ workplace:
Krajská zdravotní, a. s. – Masarykova nemocnice v Ústí nad Labem, o. z., Sexuologické oddělení
1; Krajská zdravotní, a. s. – Nemocnice Litoměřice, o. z., Urologické oddělení
2; Univerzita Jana Evangelisty Purkyně v Ústí nad Labem, Fakulta zdravotnických studií
3
Published in:
Prakt. Lék. 2026; 106(4): 158-168
Category:
Of different specialties
Overview
Background: Sexual health is part of overall health. Sexual difficulties may be associated with chronic disease, surgery, mental health, or medication, yet patients often do not disclose them spontaneously.
Objective: To provide general practitioners with a concise approach to initiating the topic, taking a basic sexual history, and selecting further care.
Methods: This clinically oriented narrative review draws on professional guidance, reviews, and selected studies of communication in adult primary and outpatient care.
Main message: The consultation can follow three steps: explain the clinical rationale and open the topic with a normalizing question, clarify the concern and its context, and agree on a specific next step. A minimum history identifies the main symptom, onset and course, situational pattern, personal impact, relation to disease and treatment, relationship context, safety, and, when relevant, infectious and reproductive risk. Ischemic priapism, acute scrotal pain, major injury, sexual violence, and immediate mental-health risk require urgent action.
Conclusion: General practitioners need not manage every sexual disorder but should recognize it, interpret it safely within the clinical context, and arrange appropriate follow-up or referral.
Keywords:
communication – Sexual dysfunction – Primary care – general practitioner – sexual health – sexual history
Sources
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General practitioner for children and adolescents General practitioner for adultsArticle was published in
General Practitioner
2026 Issue 4
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