| Thompson et al., (2008) [38] Northern Ireland/UK | 120 GPs and 52 Nurses Mixed methods design Semi-structured interviews | Lack of awareness and training. Nurses feel embarrassment Lack of time | Training programs for health care providers on handling sexual health |
| Akhu-Zaheya and Masadeh, (2015) [20] Jordan | 124 patients with heart diseases Cross sectional descriptive study | Gender differences between nurses and patients due to cultural perspectives | Arrange for sexual counseling plans with patients. Developing and integrating policies regarding sexual health assessment and education before time of discharge |
| Ferreira et al., (2015) [39] Brazil | 16 different levels nurses | Nurses focus on physical illness and exclude sexual health Institution culture work (lack of time, nurses’ shortage and turnover, workload, and lack of private areas). Sociocultural perspective prohibit talking about sexuality | Multi-disciplinary tasks to include sexual health in clinical practice: Changes the health care standard, personal values and social clarifications about sexual health assessment |
| Quinn et al., (2011) [33] Australia | 14 mental health nurses A qualitative, exploratory approach (individual interviews) | Sexuality is not a priority Nurses stated: Sexual health assessment is not nursing task | Integrate sexual assessments as part of holistic care within nursing curriculum. Investigate barriers to sexual assessment and develop appropriate measure to overcome |
| Purabuli, Azizzade and Alizadeh, (2010) [40] Iran | 300 cardiac nurses Analytical cross-sectional study | Inadequate Knowledge Gender differences between nurses and patients | Promote nurses’ knowledge Providing sexual health assessment at time of discharge. Providing sexual health assessment for patients who are same sex as nurses |
| Sung and Lin, (2013) [41] Taiwan, China | 190 nursing students A quasi-experimental design | This study aims to evaluate effectiveness of sexual education on nursing students’ knowledge, attitude, values, feelings and self-efficacy related to sexual healthcare | Interventional educational program ―improves nurses’ knowledge; attitude and self-efficacy ―helps nursing students enhance their knowledge and explore their own values, feelings on patient sexuality ―prepares nursing students to address patients’ sexual health and overcome the possible barriers |