Participants' Experiences of a Sexual Counseling Intervention During Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Nested Qualitative Study Within the CHARMS Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.
Maureen D'Eath, Molly Byrne, Patrick Murphy and 6 others
PMID 29461989WHAT IT FOUND
Most patients found a sexual health class in cardiac rehabilitation acceptable and useful, while staff expected more discomfort than patients reported.
Partner attendance was low, and patients wanted clearer written follow-up contacts.
Key findings
01Staff perceived some patient discomfort, but most patients said they were not discomforted and described the class as relaxed and comfortable.
02Patients identified heightened awareness of the link between sexual function and cardiovascular health, reassurance that problems were not unique, and knowing help was available as key benefits.
03Only one partner attended the CHARMS class, patients feared a partner's presence could be read as evidence of sexual difficulties, and patients wanted written details about how to access further advice.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was done in only 2 cardiac rehabilitation centers that chose to take part, so the staff and patients may have been more open to discussing sexual health than other programs. Participants chose to be interviewed, so the experiences of patients, staff, or partners who declined are missing. The number of participants was small, especially only 2 partners, and the findings are about experiences and acceptability, not about whether the class changed sexual function, attendance, or health outcomes. The class was delivered differently in the two centers, including timing, slide changes, and staff roles, so the intervention was not uniform.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that the sexual health class improves attendance, sexual function, or cardiovascular outcomes. The study asked participants about their experiences, and staff noted that cardiac rehabilitation attendance varied for many reasons, so any effect on attendance cannot be judged.