Practical advice on sexual health

Reproductive and sexual health: an Australian clinical practice handbook, 2nd ed.

Sydney: Family Planning NSW, 2011 (197 pp, $65.00). ISBN 9781877026218.

THIS HANDBOOK is an excellent resource for all primary care providers and medical students. The first edition was published in 2006. Since then, there have been a number of developments within the practice of reproductive and sexual health.

The book is divided into 13 easily digestible chapters. There are organ-specific chapters as well as chapters on individual topics, covering pregnancy, menopause, fertility, sexually transmitted infections, pelvic inflammatory disease and sexual assault. Male sexual health issues are discussed as well. History-taking, examination, investigation and management of each area are covered in a comprehensive manner. Key points are boxed and highlighted.

As many practitioners feel uncomfortable taking a sexual history and have limited experience in this area, the first chapter deals with consultation skills. The challenges involved when working with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are discussed.

The book also provides a detailed and clear guide to the management of sexual assault. This is particularly useful for providers (most, I suspect) who deal with this difficult problem very infrequently.

Particularly useful, given our ageing population, is an expanded chapter covering urogynaecological issues, including urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.

This book is more manual than textbook. For those requiring further information, a reference section at the end of each chapter includes useful books, articles and websites.

Perhaps the book could benefit from photographs, but it does have useful diagrams, lists and flow charts.

This book is up to date, succinct, well written and easily accessible. It is bound to be of everyday practical use to primary care providers working in the area.