Assessing the Impact of Serious Illness on Patient Intimacy and Sexuality in Palliative Care

Abstract

ContextPalliative care (PC) clinical practice guidelines recommend providers assess the impact of illness on intimacy and sexuality. Previous studies around sexuality and intimacy in patients with advanced illness have largely focused on patients with a cancer diagnosis in the outpatient setting. Little is known about such impact of illness on inpatients receiving PC consultation. ObjectivesTo assess the impact of patient illness on intimacy and sexuality through use of a screening tool and brief clinical questionnaire in hospitalized patients receiving PC consultation. MethodsBetween January 2016 and May 2017, palliative social workers at three hospitals asked patients to report the level of impact that their illness(es) had on intimacy and to describe the impact. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis. Qualitative data were analyzed using constant comparison methodology. ResultsAmong the 97 PC patients screened for intimacy concerns, the majority were female (57.7%), African American (71.1%) and on average 57.9 years of age. Most (91.7%) reported that they had not been previously asked about how their illness had impacted their intimacy. Nearly half (48.4%) reported that illness had moderately or significantly impacted their intimacy; these patients tended to be younger and in a current relationship (P < 0.05). ConclusionPatients with advanced illness commonly report negative issues regarding intimacy and sexual health. Incorporating routine screening into PC consultation may be warranted.