Vignette 2 - Asking about Sexual Activity in a Preventive Services Visit

Mature Content
Published on May 30, 2024
This is a vignette designed to train health care professionals. The clinician in the video uses both helpful and non-helpful interventions. The learner is encouraged to identify which interventions are helpful and which are not.

View the full project at: http://pedicases.org/interviewing/intro.html

Vignette description: This vignette deals with a preventive services visit and screening questions about sexual health. Kevin is a 16 year old boy who has come to an outpatient clinic for a physical exam. He has some concerns about sexual health as well as previously unreported sexual activity. An adolescent may be reluctant to disclose sexual information for fear that the information will not be kept confidential, and may experience discomfort with the topic. The provider may also feel somewhat uncomfortable asking these questions, which can increase the patient's anxiety. It is reassuring for the patient if the provider is relaxed and comfortable and tells the patient that this is a routine part of the preventive services visit.