TY - JOUR
T1 - Physician–Patient Communication About Sexual Functioning in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis
AU - Stepleman, Lara M
AU - Lopez, Eliot J.
AU - Stutts, Lauren A.
AU - Hudson, William H.
AU - Rutter Goodworth, Marie Christine
AU - Rahn, Rebecca
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.
PY - 2016/9/1
Y1 - 2016/9/1
N2 - Sexual dysfunction is quite common among individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS); however, severity of dysfunction alone does not account for the tremendous variation in sexual satisfaction across individuals living with MS. Individual characteristics, relationships with intimate partners, and environmental factors all likely contribute to the multidimensional experience of sexual satisfaction. Health care provider variables, including how one communicates with providers about sexual concerns, may also be influential. The purpose of this study was to examine factors that are associated with patients’ sex-related communications with their MS physicians and to overall patient sexual satisfaction. Individuals in an MS clinic (n = 73) completed a survey packet which included measures of physical and mental health, sexual dysfunction, sexual satisfaction, sex communication, health care provider relationships, and health care satisfaction. Findings suggest that while more than half of patients with MS reported experiencing sexual dysfunction, only a third of patients indicated addressing their sexual concerns with their physician during the past year. Interestingly, the frequency of communication about sexual concerns was associated with satisfaction with physician variables, whereas self-efficacy for these interactions was associated with emotional health variables. These results indicate that when considering interventions to increase confidence for communication and frequency of communication that differing factors may be taken into account.
AB - Sexual dysfunction is quite common among individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS); however, severity of dysfunction alone does not account for the tremendous variation in sexual satisfaction across individuals living with MS. Individual characteristics, relationships with intimate partners, and environmental factors all likely contribute to the multidimensional experience of sexual satisfaction. Health care provider variables, including how one communicates with providers about sexual concerns, may also be influential. The purpose of this study was to examine factors that are associated with patients’ sex-related communications with their MS physicians and to overall patient sexual satisfaction. Individuals in an MS clinic (n = 73) completed a survey packet which included measures of physical and mental health, sexual dysfunction, sexual satisfaction, sex communication, health care provider relationships, and health care satisfaction. Findings suggest that while more than half of patients with MS reported experiencing sexual dysfunction, only a third of patients indicated addressing their sexual concerns with their physician during the past year. Interestingly, the frequency of communication about sexual concerns was associated with satisfaction with physician variables, whereas self-efficacy for these interactions was associated with emotional health variables. These results indicate that when considering interventions to increase confidence for communication and frequency of communication that differing factors may be taken into account.
KW - Multiple sclerosis
KW - Physician–patient communication
KW - Sexual functioning
KW - Sexual satisfaction
KW - United States
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84975274915&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84975274915&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11195-016-9444-x
DO - 10.1007/s11195-016-9444-x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84975274915
SN - 0146-1044
VL - 34
SP - 239
EP - 254
JO - Sexuality and Disability
JF - Sexuality and Disability
IS - 3
ER -