Last year, the Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine reprinted the most recent in a series of clinical practice guidelines – Sexuality and reproductive health in adults with spinal cord injury: a clinical practice guideline for health-care professionals.1,2 As for previous guidelines, a companion guide has been developed: sexuality and reproductive health in adults with spinal cord injury: what you should know.3 While aimed at the consumer audience, this companion piece is a valuable resource for professionals as well.
The message is simple and clear, ‘No injury, no matter how serious, can take away your ability to have a relationship, experience love, and experience the attraction between two people.’3 People with spinal cord injury face many challenges, but none are insurmountable. The path will be eased if individuals can rely on us, their providers, for care, concern, accurate information, and referral and follow-up when needed. Professional support can ensure that lives are full and enriched, as well as long and healthy.
This 42-page guide provides a wealth of practical information for men and women on physiological, pharmacological, and surgical interventions, fertility, birth control, childbearing, injury and disease prevention, and bladder and bowel care. Psychological considerations, such as aging, relationship issues, sexual dysfunction, depression, and substance abuse, are also addressed. Sexuality topics span sexual well-being, response, and enjoyment, as well as sexual expression, settings, positioning, and sexual ‘assistive technology.’
What should you know about sexuality and spinal cord injury? At least as much as the patients in your care. So read the new guideline, incorporate it in your work, and change ‘what you should know’ to ‘what you know.’
The guide is downloadable free of charge at www.PVA.org. Click on the Publications link at the top of the page.
References
- 1.Consortium for Spinal Cord Medicine Sexuality and reproductive health in adults with spinal cord injury: a clinical practice guideline for health-care professionals. J Spinal Cord Med 2010;33(3):281–336 [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 2.Bodner DR. Best clinical practice in sexuality and reproductive health: the new clinical practice guideline. J Spinal Cord Med 2010;33(3):201. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 3.Consortium for Spinal Cord Medicine Sexuality and reproductive health in adults with spinal cord injury: what you should know. Paralyzed Veterans of America, Washington, DC; 2011. Available at: www.PVA.org [Google Scholar]