Sexuality and disability: The role of health care professionals in providing options and alternatives for couples

Disability affects both the individual and his/her partner and, if health care professionals are to work with clients in a holistic manner they will need to include the partner. A comprehensive review of the literature was completed to examine the impact of disability on sexuality as it relates to couple relationships and to explore strategies health care providers can utilize to help couples deal with these issues. The literature describes some common intervention strategies that have been shown to be effective in helping couples affected by disability or illness address the issue of sexuality. Specific concerns and difficulties faced by couples are also identified. Finally, the various intervention strategies will be incorporated into a framework known as the P-LI-SS-IT model. With this framework, health care providers will be able to determine the client's needs, as well as assess their own level of comfort and expertise in dealing with this very important task.