SEXUALITY discussions in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) care remained uncommon, with a qualitative study finding that many patients reported unmet information needs and identified trust and clinician competence as essential for meaningful conversations about sexuality.
IBD is a chronic gastrointestinal condition that can affect many aspects of daily life, including sexual wellbeing. Sexual dysfunction affects approximately half of women and one third of men living with the condition. Despite this, discussions about sexuality were reported to be largely absent during specialist clinical care. Researchers therefore explored how individuals with IBD experienced conversations about sexuality with healthcare professionals and how they wished these discussions to be approached.
The study used a descriptive and exploratory qualitative design. Researchers conducted semi structured interviews with 12 individuals diagnosed with IBD who were recruited from two outpatient clinics in Norway. The interview data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify common experiences and perspectives.
Three main themes emerged from the analysis. These included sexuality as an overlooked aspect of IBD care, unmet information needs relating to sexuality, and the importance of relationships when discussing sensitive topics. Participants consistently described sexuality as a topic that was rarely raised during routine healthcare encounters.
Only a minority of participants reported being invited to discuss sexuality with healthcare professionals and these conversations were generally brief. Some participants stated that they preferred not to discuss sexuality during clinical appointments. Others described barriers including embarrassment, awkwardness, stigma, discomfort, and concerns about privacy.
Participants also reported limited access to reliable information about sexuality in the context of IBD. Some perceived healthcare professionals as lacking sufficient knowledge or appearing dismissive when questions about sexuality were raised. These experiences contributed to unmet information needs and reduced confidence in seeking support.
Participants emphasised that feeling safe and trusting their healthcare professional were essential before discussing sexuality. An established therapeutic relationship was viewed as an important foundation for these conversations.
The researchers concluded that sexuality remained insufficiently addressed in clinical encounters for people living with IBD. They suggested that strengthening healthcare professionals’ competence and improving access to appropriate information resources may help create the trust and safety needed to support effective sexuality discussions in IBD care.
Reference
Sydnes HI et al. Navigating sensitive conversations: patient experiences of sexuality discussions in IBD care: a qualitative study. Nurs Rep. 2026;16(7):219.
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