Are you sexually active?

By oracknows on May 7, 2007.

It's a simple question that we as medical professionals often have to ask, but one that is a minefield when it comes to answers.

To take a cue from our former President, I suppose it depends on what the meaning of the word "active" is.

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Ask like this:

1. Have you ever used tobacco? (yes|no) How often? In what forms?
2. Have you ever had alcoholic drinks? (yes|no) How often? What kinds?
3. Have you ever had sex? (yes|no) How often? With what sort of partner?
4. Have you ever had surgery?.... etc.

Point being, if you precede it and follow it with a couple expected questions of the same format, you can make it all seem quite routine and eliminate a lot of discomfort.

Well, what *does* it mean, exactly? It's relatively easy to define if one is in an ongoing relationship and has sex every three nights like clockwork, but there's a lot of space between that and total virginity. What if I, the patient, had sex with a new partner the day after the last time I saw my doctor a year ago (so I might have acquired a new STD) but not since? What if I had sex three days ago, after which my partner and I broke up and I've vowed celibacy for at least a year? What if I'm married but my partner is depressed and we only have sex once every six months or so? I think it would be easier to answer if it was clear what the doctor really wanted to know.

As a regular blood donor, I am accustomed to such questions: Have you had sex with a gay male? Have you accepted money or drugs for sex? Have you lived in Britain?

Keep in mind- sex is like bridge: if you don't have a good partner you need a good hand.

Yeah, it's a bit vague as to how active is considered active by the medical community. However, it's quite disconcerting that these morons are having sex.

Speedwell has it right - it takes more than one question to get at the information we docs need, that's whay I always follow up with a second (and sometimes a third...)...And all my patient questionaires have the question "Any new sexual partners since your last visit?"

One of these days I will post the answers I get on the new patient questionaires to the question "Are you sexually active?" They are often (intentionally) hilarious. Patients, like us docs, can also have a sense of humor...