Abstract
To describe sexual functioning/satisfaction and relational satisfaction of patients with stroke who received sexual counselling during their rehabilitation 1–5 years thereafter. All adult patients with stroke admitted to one Dutch Rehabilitation Centre between January 2010 and January 2014 with at least two consultations with a sexologist were invited to participate in this cross-sectional survey study. Patients were asked to complete a questionnaire on sexual functioning, relational satisfaction (Maudsley Marital Questionnaire, 0–80; low–high dissatisfaction), health-related quality of life (HRQoL) short-form12 (SF-12) mental and physical component scale (MCS and PCS; 0–100, low–high HRQoL) and mood Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS, 0–21 low–high depression/anxiety). Descriptive statistics were used for sexual functioning/satisfaction and relational satisfaction. Spearmans’s correlation analysis (rs) analyzed the relationships between sexual satisfaction, relational satisfaction, PCS, MCS, depression and anxiety. Of 296 eligible patients, 62 (21%) completed the questionnaires. Mean age 55.4 (SD11.0) years, time-since-stroke 3.5 (SD3.6) years, 33 (53%) were male and 18 (29%) were single. Being sexually (very) unsatisfied was reported by 31 (54%) responders, with 63% being male and 44% female. Median MMQ-score relational satisfaction was 12.0 (IQR 4.25–23.25). A moderate correlation was present between sexual and relational satisfaction (rs = 0.35, p = 0.02). In male respondents relational satisfaction was highly correlated with lower levels of anxiety (rs = 0.54, p = 0.01) and depressive symptoms (rs = 0.71, p = 0.00). Patients with stroke who received sexual counselling during their rehabilitation treatment experience high relational satisfaction in the long term after stroke, despite their problems in sexual functioning.
Highlights
Stroke is a major cause of disability, with a prevalence of about two percent in the Western adult population [1]
Sexual health may be affected by stroke
The purpose of the present cross-sectional study was to describe the long term sexual and relational functioning in patients with stroke who received sexual counselling as a part of their rehabilitation program. This cross-sectional questionnaire study among patients with stroke was conducted at Basalt Rehabilitation Centre, The Hague in the Netherlands
Summary
Stroke is a major cause of disability, with a prevalence of about two percent in the Western adult population [1]. Despite improvements in the acute medical treatment of stroke its consequences on important functional and life domains is considerable: speech problems, physical impairments, fatigue, impaired stress tolerance and concentration and memory deficits often occur [2]. Sexual health may be affected by stroke. Sexual problems after stroke are common; up to 75% of male patients with stroke report erectile dysfunction and up to 77% of females report difficulties with vaginal lubrication [3]. Sexual rehabilitation interventions have proven to result in improved sexual satisfaction, sexual activity frequency and erectile function [4]
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