Abstract
ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Priapism is one of the complications of sickle cell disease characterized by a persistent and painful erection, which can lead to erectile dysfunction and sexual impotence. The objective of this study was to understand how men with sickle cell disease and priapism access emergency care. METHODS: A qualitative study conducted in a reference healthcare unit to people with sickle cell disease in the second largest city in Bahia. Seven adult men with sickle cell disease who had experienced priapism participated in the study. The data were collected by semi-structured interview and thematic story designs and submitted to content analysis. RESULTS: Priapism is seen as a lack of genital health. Participants use strategies to manage it at home to avoid embarrassment, which ends up in cocooning. Access to emergency services is motivated by persistent and relentless pain; and limited by the fear of priapism being mistaken for sexual deviance, lack of knowledge about the complication as a urologic emergency and financial shortfall, which confers a worse prognosis about erectile function. Men are embarrassed and discriminated by healthcare and support professionals, which discourages them from accessing these services in the future. CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis of sickle cell disease, the orientation of family members and the need for healthcare professionals to educate young boys and men with sickle cell disease and their caregivers about priapism in advance to allow adequate self-care and prevent complications.
Highlights
Priapism is the total or partial continuous erection of the penis for more than four hours accompanied or not by sexual stimulation and orgasm[1]
The experiences of men with priapism were organized into three categories which will be presented below: Interpretation of priapism and strategies to handle it at home Men with servicesSickle cell disease (SCD) interpret priapism as an injury to health, a disability, or a lack of genital/sexual health
After I had the first crises, I started to read about what SCD was; I could see that priapism came from SCD [...]
Summary
Priapism is the total or partial continuous erection of the penis for more than four hours accompanied or not by sexual stimulation and orgasm[1] It is considered a urologic emergency requiring urgent care or even surgical procedure to avoid complications such as irreversible erectile dysfunction[2]. In addition to exploring the health events in patients with SCD, giving more visibility to the subject Likewise, it favors health professionals’ reflection about the structure of the emergency services that assist men with SCD complications, such as priapism, allowing for evaluation and redirection of healthcare actions to better care practices reducing the damages to the sexual health of these men. Priapism is one of the complications of sickle cell disease characterized by a persistent and painful erection, which can lead to erectile dysfunction and sexual impotence. CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis of sickle cell disease, the orientation of family members
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