Comment: Of the consequences of adultery
Paul Woolley
pp 3-3
My attention was recently drawn to the headline, on the BBC News website, ‘Dubai adultery conviction upheld’. The article tells about the case of a British woman who says that her husband accused her of adultery to gain custody of their two children. She had previously been sentenced to six months in prison. The appeal court has now reduced her sentence to three months.
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An update on hypoactive sexual desire disorder
Margaret Rees
pp 4-6
Women are increasingly staying sexually active, into their 70s and beyond. This was illustrated in a Swedish study published in 2008. The study found that, from 1971 to 2000, the proportion of men and women aged 70 reporting sexual intercourse increased – from 38% to 56% for married women and from 0.8% to 12% for unmarried women. A larger proportion of women reported very happy relationships in 2000–01 compared with 1971–72 (52% versus 35%). Thus, addressing any sexual problems in women is becoming an increasingly important issue for healthcare professionals, especially for those working in primary care.
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Improving the sexual health of drug users
Eileen Bamber
pp 7-9
Substance misuse is a major concern in the UK. The size of the problem is unknown, particularly in relation to the use of illicit substances. The number of illicit drug users in treatment in England is monitored by the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS). In 2007–08, more than 202,000 were recorded as being in contact with drug treatment services – this does not include the hidden population of those who do not present for treatment. It is estimated that there are 332,000 problem drug users in England and that class A drug use generates £15.4 billion in crime and health costs each year. Drug users often lead chaotic lifestyles and health is unlikely to be a priority.
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Case scenario: Emergency contraception for the under-18s
Polly Crawford
pp 10-11
A 15-year-old girl requests emergency contraception on a Monday morning. She has recently been sexually active with a new partner and had unprotected sexual intercourse (UPSI) the previous day. Her last menstrual period (LMP) was ten days ago.
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A review of priapism: part 1
Sailaja Pisipati and Ian Pearce
pp 12-14
Priapism is an uncommon pathological condition described as a prolonged penile erection that is often painful and unrelated to sexual stimulation. Named after Priapus, a minor Greek god of fertility, symbol of bountiful agriculture and gardens, priapism has a peak incidence between the ages of five and ten, and between the ages of 20 and 50. A prolonged erection lasting for more than four to six hours is considered to be priapic; however, pain does not usually ensue until six to eight hours have elapsed. Depending on what type it is, priapism can be a urological emergency. It can be debilitating and result in serious physical and psychological sequelae. This first part of a two-part article focuses on its pathophysiology, classification and aetiology.
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Naz Project London mobilises ethnic minority communities
Bryan Teixeira
pp 15-15
Naz Project London (NPL) is the largest and most experienced black and minority ethnic (BME) sexual health services provider in London. NPL began in 1991 and took its name from Naz, a Muslim man who was living with HIV and was experiencing difficulties in accessing culturally and linguistically appropriate services. His carers went on to found NPL.
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Managing recurrent urinary tract infections in women
Sally Hope
pp 16-18
Cystitis, or urinary tract infection (UTI), is an inflammation of the lining of the bladder that can be caused by a variety of inflammatory or infectious agents.
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The pros and cons of high oestrogen levels
David Hicks
pp 19-19
We have been told that women in Western countries have unnaturally high levels of oestrogen and that this makes them more prone to breast cancer. According to Dr Tessa Pollard, Senior Lecturer in anthropology at Durham University, quoted by the Telegraph, ‘women living in traditional populations at subsistence level, whose lifestyles are possibly much more similar to those of our ancestors, have much lower oestrogen levels than women in rich industrial countries. Our levels are, in effect, abnormal, so it’s not surprising they make us ill’.
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