The Pharmaceutical Care of Sexual Health
Published: 2007
Overview
This course provides an introduction to the subject of sexual health and aims to give a basic
understanding of the infections, those at most risk from these and how you can help these
patients. It also details the sources of help, advice, counselling and treatment that are available in
your own area. The Resources section draws heavily upon the internet and looks first at web
pages of the fourteen NHS health boards in Scotland and where on these sites to find information
about the boards' sexual health provision.
Introduction
This pack consists of three main sections:

Section 1: will enable you to get to grips with the pathophysiology, clinical
presentation and diagnosis of the key disorders.

Section 2: discusses the management and treatment options.

Section 3: completes the picture, using case studies to bring your learning together
with 'real' patients.
Topics
In the section on STIs the five most common infections in Scotland are described in some detail,
with information about the signs and symptoms, causes, incubation periods, diagnosis and
treatment, the effects of the infection if it is left untreated, and what you can do to help your
patients. In addition there are two short sections dealing with three blood-borne viruses, hepatitis
A,B and C, and six relatively rare infections, or infestations. The second section 'Advising patients
about sexual health, looks at ways of engaging a range of different patients in conversations which
lead to the possibility of offering advice about sexual health.
Hours
On completion of the MCQ this course will provide 6 hours of continuing education study