An exploration of the role of occupational therapists in addressing sexuality with service users post stroke.
Jessica Heron, Bethan Owen-Booth
PMID 40337112WHAT IT FOUND
Three occupational therapists in Wales said they rarely discuss sexuality with stroke survivors due to embarrassment, lack of training, and ageist assumptions.
They viewed it as a shared multidisciplinary responsibility rather than their sole role, despite recognising it as a meaningful occupation.
Key findings
01Participants identified embarrassment, lack of experience, and limited resources as primary barriers to discussing sexuality.
02Therapists felt addressing sexuality was not their sole responsibility and preferred a multidisciplinary approach.
03Ageism was a specific barrier, with some therapists feeling it inappropriate to discuss sexuality with older patients.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample size was extremely small (n=3), limiting the transferability of the findings. All participants were female, excluding male perspectives on discussing sexuality. Participants were drawn from a single health board in Wales, and community-based therapists were not included, biasing results toward hospital settings. The study explored perceptions and barriers rather than clinical outcomes or efficacy of interventions.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest and received no funding for this research.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these findings as evidence that occupational therapists are ineffective at addressing sexuality or that this work should be abandoned. The study reports the perceptions and barriers faced by a tiny sample of three therapists in a specific hospital context, not a generalizable pattern of practice failure or a lack of capability in the profession as a whole.