Citation

Fontana E, Béran MD. Rev. Med. Suisse Romande 1995; 115(6): 495-497.

Vernacular Title

Sexualite et exclusion.

Affiliation

Service de la Santé Publique, Lausanne.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, Societe Medicale de la Suisse Romande)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

7610303

Abstract

In Lausanne, Switzerland, a family planning counselor and a public health physician conducted an action research in an immigrant Portuguese community, which aimed to establish conditions that would allow women to prevent unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS, in order to permit community members to better confront these issues. In this community, the subject of abortion is a taboo. Portuguese women with different backgrounds (e.g., nurse, comedian, and student of modern French), who had received training in family planning counseling from different institutions (e.g., the university hospital center in Vaud canton and the public health service), shared their knowledge in the Portuguese communities in Vaud canton. Implementation of a Portuguese language telephone hot-line and reception place assured continuity of their work in the heart of the community. Thus, the Portuguese women could call on these counselors when they confronted problems of sexuality, contraception, abortion, or risky sexual behavior. Most abortions in Lausanne occurred at the obstetric/gynecologic service of the university hospital center where the family planning counselors had felt powerless due to the recurrence of situations. In this action research, the counselors could evaluate the desire of their patients to take charge. They could then encourage the patients to contact their community through the permanent telephone hot-line or reception place. The sense of powerlessness of the professional counselors decreased when they took a more coherent educative and preventive action. In extrapolating, these situations could take place in medical offices where health problems are revealed. The physician would be able to use the hot-line to avoid repeat consultations with the same patient telling him/her the same story. The action research also included formation of groups where perimenopausal women could receive information on perimenopause, ask questions, and exchange life experiences. The experiences of these efforts could encourage practitioners to motivate their patients to open themselves up to other forms of taking charge.

Language: fr