Nurse Practitioners' Sexual History-Taking Practices with Adults 50 and Older

PurposeTo identify the sexual history-taking practices of nurse practitioners (NPs) for patients 50 and older.Data SourcesThe study involved a random sample of 500 American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) members. A mailed questionnaire was adapted from the Knowledge of HIV and HIV-Risk Screening tools and reflected the assumptions of Pender's Health Belief Model.ConclusionOnly 2% of respondents indicated they always conduct a sexual history with their patients age 50 and older, while 23.4% never or seldom do such an assessment. The main barriers to taking sexual histories were identified as lack of time, interruptions, and limited communication skills.Implications for PracticeThe findings support the need for NPs to be more conscientious about completing a sexual history with their older patients.