{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,30]],"date-time":"2026-07-30T11:04:35Z","timestamp":1785409475254,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":56,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,26]],"date-time":"2026-06-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1782432000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100016999","name":"Western Norway University of Applied Sciences","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100016999","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/05phns765","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nursing Reports"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic condition characterized by persistent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Sexual dysfunction is a common but often overlooked consequence of IBD, affecting approximately half of women and one-third of men living with the disease. Despite the significant role of sexuality in overall quality of life, discussions about sexuality frequently remain absent from clinical encounters between patients and healthcare providers. Purpose: This study aims to deepen understanding of how individuals with inflammatory bowel disease experience\u2014and wish to approach\u2014conversations about sexuality with healthcare professionals in specialist clinical settings. Method: A descriptive and exploratory qualitative design was employed, using semi-structured interviews with 12 individuals diagnosed with IBD, recruited from two outpatient clinics in Norway. The data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Our analysis generated three main themes: (1) sexuality as an overlooked dimension of IBD care, (2) unmet informational needs related to sexuality, and (3) relational prerequisites for discussing sexuality. Sexuality was seldom addressed in participants\u2019 healthcare encounters. Only a minority had been invited into such discussions, and those experiences were typically brief. Some participants preferred not to engage in conversations about sexuality. Reported barriers included awkwardness, embarrassment, stigma, discomfort, and concerns about privacy. Participants also described limited access to reliable information and perceived some healthcare providers as insufficiently knowledgeable or dismissive when the topic was raised. Feeling safe, trusting the provider, and having an established therapeutic relationship were identified as essential conditions for discussing sexuality. Conclusions: Sexuality remains largely unaddressed in clinical encounters with individuals living with IBD. The findings reveal a gap between patients\u2019 information needs and the support currently provided. Strengthening healthcare providers\u2019 competence and ensuring access to appropriate resources may help create the trust and safety required for meaningful conversations about sexuality.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nursrep16070219","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,29]],"date-time":"2026-06-29T02:16:44Z","timestamp":1782699404000},"page":"219","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Navigating Sensitive Conversations: Patient Experiences of Sexuality Discussions in IBD Care: A Qualitative Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-4326-0438","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hege Ingrid","family":"Sydnes","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Gastroenterology, Akershus University Hospital, Sykehusveien 25, N-1478 L\u00f8renskog, Norway"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-5323-8623","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marte Langberg","family":"Vangen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Gastroenterology, Akershus University Hospital, Sykehusveien 25, N-1478 L\u00f8renskog, Norway"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-3677-1179","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kjersti","family":"Alsaker","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health and Caring Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Inndalsveien 28, N-5020 Bergen, Norway"},{"name":"National Centre for Emergency Primary Health Care, NORCE Norwegian Research Centre, \u00c5rstadveien 17, N-5009 Bergen, Norway"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0472-0991","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marit Hegg","family":"Reime","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health and Caring Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Inndalsveien 28, N-5020 Bergen, Norway"},{"name":"Department of Postgraduate Studies, Lovisenberg Diaconal University College, Lovisenberggata 15B, N-0456 Oslo, Norway"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Meier, J. 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