Poster (Clinical/Best Practice Implementation) ID 1984772

Literature shows that patients with spinal cord injury place high importance on addressing sexual health issues such as fertility, physical functioning, understanding sensory changes and relationship counselling. In order to promote sexual health inclusivity for inpatients at our rehabilitation centre and to assist staff with initiating sexual health discussions, a series of steps was taken to promote sexual health as part of the rehabilitation program. All staff on the ward received a standardized training session and posters were put up around the Centre to promote sexual health for patients with spinal cord injury. A pamphlet for patients was developed and an introduction to sexual health was initiated by staff at two time points during the rehabilitation stay. All new inpatients, regardless of gender, age or disability severity, were offered the pamphlet and the introduction. We conducted a chart review looking at patients before the pamphlet/standardized introduction versus after the implementation to support our hypothesis that patients who received the pamphlet and introduction would be more likely to engage in discussions about sexual health. More patients did pursue sexual health discussions with the rehab team after the pamphlet was introduced. However, many patients refused the pamphlet or further sexual health discussion. Demographically, patients who were younger were more likely to express interest in further sexual health discussions. Use of an easy-to-implement tool (pamphlet) combined with a standardized introduction is useful for increasing interest in initiating sexual health discussion by inpatients with SCI.