THE SEXUAL NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES – CONTRACEPTIVE NEEDS (MENTAL HANDICAP)
Communication is paramount when working with people with mental handicap. Methods of contraception are successful only if properly used. Whatever the aim of the consultation, whether it be to help the patient to have a more satisfactory sexual life, or to choose and use a method of contraception, the doctor has to relate to the person in terms that they understand, and this may mean being very basic and explicit. The doctor may need to come to terms with his or her own unease with some of the language it is necessary to use. To know what the patient calls parts of their anatomy and the various sexual activities is essential for meaningful communication. In addition, the need for repetition can be irritating for the doctor, but it is necessary to go slowly, especially if the patient has a mental handicap, but sometimes too when the patient has had a stroke or head injury where memory and attention span are limited.
There are ethical and legal aspects to contraceptive provision in people with mental handicap (Carson, 1987; Gunn, 1991). It is important to be honest in the consultation, and to explain within the limits of the patient’s understanding. For instance, it may mean using as simple a statement as, ‘This means no baby now’. This author has at times been asked to mislead the patient by suggesting that the injection is to prevent their hayfever, which is unacceptable.
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Tags: Erectile Dysfunction, Men’s Health