Patients’ Experiences of Sexual Discomfort in South Korean Healthcare Setting: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study

The healthcare setting in South Korea, which prioritizes efficiency, often leads to unnecessary sexual shame and discomfort for patients. This can be exacerbated by the perceived power inequalities within the provider-patient relationship, intensifying feelings of vulnerability. Nurses' essential roles in mitigating these negative encounters are frequently overlooked under the guise of maintaining efficiency. The findings of this study offer several implications, emphasizing the need for changes to provider education to enhance patient-centered care.