Sexual Functioning & Disease or Disability

People may experience sexual problems in medical-biological, psychological and social areas or -which is most often the case- a combination of these three aspects. Examples are erectile problems, sexual desire problems and sexual pain problems. Research among the Dutch population indicated that 20% of the women and 17% of the men in the Netherlands experience at least one sexual dysfunction. Besides, sexual problems occur more frequently among people with a chronic disease or physical disability which may also influence one’s sexuality and quality of life in a negative way. So, special attention towards this group is needed.
In general, people find it difficult to seek help for their sexual problems. Health care professionals on the other hand are in many cases not adequately equipped to offer help in the area of sexual health.

Priorities within this program are the following:

• Registration and research of all sexological health care areas (such as outpatient clinics sexology) or health care areas where sexual problems also are treated (e.g. primary care/GPs)
• Development and implementation of guidelines and protocols within (sexological) health care settings
• Satisfaction and efficacy research (mainly of treatment protocols)
• Improvement of expertise and skills of health care professionals
• Development of specific sex education
• Research of specific sexual problems of specific groups
  
  Sexological help is offered for varying problems and to a diverse population. However, sexological help is often needed by people with (chronic) disease and disabilities. These groups therefore have our special attention.
  
  Examples of activities:
• Totally Secsy: a sex education tool kit for young people with a chronic disease or disability, their parents and caretakers. The target group takes part in developing the toolkit
• With Love Without Hesitation: a digital self-help instrument that provides people with a chronic disease or disability with information around (counselling of) sexual and relational problems
• Development of a training and manual in order to improve gender specific HIV-prevention, especially within ethnic groups
• Satisfaction study among clients of sexology clinics