Culture, Communication, Contraception
Dr. Rik H. W. van Lunsen
Netherlands 
Disclosure : Grants/research support:GlaxoSmithKline, Organon, Pfizer, Boehringer Ingelheim,Trimel, Pantarhei Bioscience, Bayer, Coloplast, Procter and Gamble
Advisory boards: Organon, Boehringer Ingelheim
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31 slide(s) – 00:20:04 – English – 2010-05-20
Acknowledge psychological, social, cultural and ethnic determinants of sexual health in multicultural societies.
Rik van Lunsen MD, PhD
Culture, Communication, Contraception
Dept Sexology & Psychosomatic Ob/Gyn, Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology,
Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam.
In multicultural Europe 495 million people with an enormous diversity of cultural, religious, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds live together in a landscape of sometimes conflicting norms, values, convictions, beliefs and opinions regarding sexuality, reproduction, sexual relationships, contraception, teenage sexuality, homosexuality and gender issues. What all these boys and girls, women and man share is the fact that sexual health is a major aspect of quality of life and that they all have needs with regards to sexual health care. These needs for many Europeans are still unmet despite of the fact that the WHO already many years ago stated that sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. Availability and accessibility of contraceptives and contraceptive services are only two of the many requirements for sexual health. But even in this respect in Europe there are many regional disparities. Moreover even in those countries were availability of contraceptives and services seems to be optimal teenagers, ethnic minorities and the socially deprived are more at risk with regards to every aspect of sexual health. A lack of cultural and subcultural sensitivity and competence of health educators and care givers is one of the contributing factors to this disparity. More tailormade and individualized approaches of health education, counseling and prescribing practices might contribute optimizing the care we give.
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