Sexual health of French adolescents with sickle cell disease

Abstract

Purpose Focussing on sickle cell disease (SCD), the objective of this study was to assess adolescents’ sexual heath experience in the context of their chronic illness. Materials and methods We included teenagers from 14 to 19 years old followed for SCD in a hospital located in Créteil (France) from March 2017 to February 2018. Their sexual health experience was assessed by a self-questionnaire with three key themes: contraceptive experience, awareness of sexuality with chronic disease and level of information on the genetic transmission of the disease. Results 99 questionnaires were analysed. Only six SCD adolescents (one girl and five boys) reported being sexually active. Despite a very regular follow-up of their illness, only 13% of the boys and girls had received information on contraception at the hospital. Most adolescents (85% of boys and 81% of girls) did not think that the disease would interfere with sexual intercourse. The genetic pattern was well known (85% of boys and 87% of girls). Conclusion Young people with SCD need more information on contraception. Clinicians caring for them should be aware of the need for sexual health information in order to propose prevention actions adapted to these young people with chronic disease.