Nurses' perspectives about men's access to sexual healthcare revealed challenges in recognising men as legitimate recipients of such care, as well as the broader issue of men's political invisibility in this area.
Key Findings
Methods
Lexicographic analysis of nurse focus group interviews produced five distinct thematic classes related to men's sexual healthcare access in Portugal.
A qualitative descriptive study design was used with focus group (FG) interviews
15 nurses working in Portugal participated across two focus groups
487 text segments were analysed using IRaMuTeQ-R software for lexicographic analysis
Five classes emerged: 'Approach triggers between nurses and men'; 'Therapeutic itineraries singularities'; 'Sexual health as a subject'; 'Issues surrounding men's sexual health'; 'Settings for addressing men's sexual health'
Results
Nurses identified challenges in recognising men as legitimate recipients of sexual healthcare.
Nurses' perspectives revealed difficulties in positioning men as valid recipients of sexual and reproductive healthcare
The personal, private, and subjective nature of sexual health was noted as a contributing challenge
This finding emerged across the focus group discussions and was reflected in the lexicographic class structure
Results
Men's political invisibility in sexual and reproductive healthcare was identified as a broader systemic issue from nurses' perspectives.
Nurses highlighted that men's sexual health lacks visibility at the policy level in Portugal
The lack of visibility of men in sexual and reproductive healthcare was described as emphasising the challenges in addressing this topic
Political invisibility was identified as distinct from individual-level access challenges
Results
Nurses underlined the importance of deconstructing simplistic notions about men and masculinity to improve sexual healthcare delivery.
The need to recognize diversity among men was highlighted as essential for effective sexual health care
Simplistic or homogeneous conceptions of masculinity were identified as barriers to effective care
This finding was connected to the class addressing 'Issues surrounding men's sexual health'
Results
Nurses identified that addressing men's sexual health in Portugal requires improvements in nursing education, training, practices, and political guidelines.
A comprehensive and inclusive approach in nurses' education and training was identified as necessary
Political guidelines were identified as needed to make sexual healthcare opportunities clear to men, nurses, and other health professionals
Nurses were positioned as having an important role in formulating policies that promote male sexual health and health program creation
Settings for addressing men's sexual health constituted one of the five emergent thematic classes
Results
The study found that therapeutic itineraries for men seeking sexual health care have distinctive singularities.
'Therapeutic itineraries singularities' emerged as one of the five lexicographic classes from the nurse focus groups
This class suggests that the pathways men take when seeking sexual health care are perceived by nurses as notably different or irregular compared to other health contexts
These singularities were seen as relevant to understanding men's healthcare-seeking patterns in Portugal
What This Means
This research suggests that nurses in Portugal perceive significant barriers to men accessing sexual health care, rooted both in individual attitudes and in broader policy failures. The study gathered perspectives from 15 nurses through two focus group discussions, then used specialized text analysis software to identify recurring themes in what the nurses said. Five main themes emerged, covering how conversations about sexual health get started between nurses and male patients, the unusual paths men take when seeking this type of care, cultural and conceptual issues around discussing sexual health, specific health problems men face, and the settings where such care could be delivered.
A key finding is that nurses themselves recognize a tendency — in health systems and society broadly — to not think of men as people who need or deserve sexual and reproductive healthcare. This 'political invisibility' means there are few formal programs, policies, or clear guidelines directing sexual health services toward men. Nurses also noted that oversimplified ideas about masculinity get in the way of care, because men are not a uniform group and their sexual health needs vary widely.
This research suggests that meaningful improvement in men's sexual health outcomes in Portugal would require changes at multiple levels: how nurses are trained and educated, how healthcare practices are structured, and how government health policies are designed. The study points to nurses as a potentially important force in advocating for better policies and programs for male sexual health, but notes that they currently lack the institutional support and clear guidance needed to fulfill that role effectively.
Tereso A, Curado A, Brantes A, Fernandes J, Santos R, Antunes L. (2025). Lexicographic qualitative approach of nurse's perspectives on men's access to sexual health care in Portugal.. Scientific reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-23214-5