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Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. Introduction.: Addressing a patient's sexuality and sexual health is an important component of holistic health care, but there are several challenges affecting students' comfort levels. Studies have indicated that patients want to talk about sexual issues, but there is a lack of conversation initiation from the health care providers. Although there is research to indicate that occupational therapists (OTs) are more comfortable than physical therapists (PTs) in discussing sexual issues, both professions report a lack of content within their respective programs. The purpose of this study was to determine comfort levels of OT and PT students when discussing and addressing sexual issues, as well as demographic factors that might influence comfort level and perceived barriers. Methods.: A survey was sent to OT and PT students from 3 different universities inquiring as to the respondent's demographics, academic and clinical training, comfort level with various patient scenarios, and perceived barriers to addressing sexual issues. Mann -Whitney U and Kruskal -Wallis statistical tests were used to analyze the differences in comfort levels between groups of students, and open ended questions were coded into themes based on similarity and frequency of responses. Results.: A total of 128 students completed the survey. Third-year students, regardless of professional program, were more comfortable addressing sexual issues compared with first-year students. The most common barriers to addressing sexual issues with patients included lack of experience and lack of knowledge. Discussion and Conclusion.: Overall, the comfort level was affected by age, academic year, personal demographics, and perceived confidence. Neither geographical location nor religious background had a significant influence on student comfort level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although adolescents are generally healthy, they are at unique psychosocial, cognitive, and physical development stages that can affect their decision-making ability and overall health. This age group often engages in risky behaviors such as unsafe sex, drug abuse, and unhealthy eating habits. Despite these potential risks, adolescents are less likely to seek prompt medical attention, often due to concerns about parental awareness of their health problems and concerns. Objectives: Organizations recommend providing confidential adolescent health care to reduce the consequences of high-risk health behaviors such as substance use, unhealthy eating patterns, and high-risk sexual behaviors. Family physicians are uniquely positioned to provide confidential counseling and care to this vulnerable population but must be trained to provide such care. This study describes the impact of formal and informal training on the knowledge of and comfort level in providing confidential adolescent healthcare among a sample of US Family Medicine residents. Methods: Electronic surveys were distributed to all Family Medicine residents throughout the United States. We used descriptive statistics and χ2 analysis where appropriate to determine the association between resident-reported receipt of training, confidence, and frequency in providing confidential adolescent health care. Results: A total of 714 Family Medicine residents completed the survey. The majority reported no formal training in residency (50.3%). The receipt of formal and informal training in both medical school and residency was associated with a greater degree of comfort in providing confidential adolescent care and a higher likelihood of providing confidential time alone. Those reporting formal training were more likely to always provide confidential care (P = 0.001). Conclusions: Training focused on confidential adolescent health care in medical school or residency was associated with a greater degree of comfort and a higher likelihood of providing confidential adolescent health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]