325 Sexuality in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients

Abstract

Background: Nowadays CF patients have a longer life expectancy, so they can meet usual adult life experiences. Sexual activity and procreation are areas of increasing interest for which they need to be taken into care. Aim: This study evaluated specific aspects of sexual growth in CF patients. Methods: An ad-hoc questionnaire realized by our team was addressed to CF patients (n = 26) and to a control group (n = 26). Data were processed descriptively and significance was assessed by c2 statistic test. Results: Respondents’ mean age was 32.6 yrs (12 men) for the CF group and 30 yrs (7 men) for the control group. Samples significantly differed (p = 0.04) in the way they got very first information about sexuality: CF patients received less information from the family compared to the control group. Frequency of sexual activity was divided into real and ideal frequency rate and data showed that the ideal frequency was significantly lower in CF patients (p = 0.0007). CF patients had a significantly lower pregnancy planning in comparison with the control sample (p = 0.03). Conclusions: These findings may suggest that the area of sexuality is not so felt as a vital and developmental area for a CF patient by parents with the risk of its underestimation along childhood. Thus it would be useful to support parents about these themes so these could be considered as part of their children global growth. It seems that this early-sexuality approach could last indeed, resulting in a lower self-investment compared to the healthy group and intra-patients. Further studies may look for any relation of these sexual variables (lower investment, projection and planning) with the health status of our patients.