Primary care for women. Comprehensive sexual health assessment.

This article discusses the fundamentals of sexual functioning and describes the elements of a comprehensive, developmentally relevant sexual health assessment. Personal barriers that may prevent clinicians from comfortably addressing sexual issues are discussed, and useful strategies for facilitating effective, reciprocal communication during a sexual health history are presented. A therapeutic intervention model for counseling, referral, and sexual health assessment of women in the primary care setting is also included.