The subject of this Master’s project is communication with palliative patients about sexuality and their lives with their partners. Research has shown that sexuality and intimacy are important for palliative patients and that these patients have a wish to talk about these subjects. Studies have, however, also shown that healthcare professionals who work with palliative patients seldom talk to these patients about sexuality and intimacy. Discrepancies between the expectations of patients and those of the healthcare professionals result in the patients’ need to talk about their relationships and about sexuality not being met.
The aim of the project is to examine the wishes that palliative patients have with regard to conversations with healthcare professionals about sexuality and intimacy. An inductive phenomenological approach was applied, and a qualitative method was used for the study, which involved three palliative patients being interviewed on the basis of a semi-structured interview guide. The study showed that the informants wished for healthcare professionals to present personal qualities and competences that would foster a feeling of trust. They wished to be met with a holistic approach -- to be seen as people, not just patients. Similarly, the informants expressed a wish for their healthcare professional to provide them with information about how their illness and treatment would impact their lives with their partners and their sexuality. Moreover, the informants also expressed a wish for time, calm and that appointments are kept. Similarly, they wished for their healthcare professionals to regularly initiate conversations about intimacy and sexuality throughout the entire course of their illness.