Sexuality after spinal cord injury: characterization of the male population treated at the Hospital del Trabajador, Santiago, Chile
Keywords:
spinal card injuries, erectile dysfunction, rehabilitation, paraplegia, quadriplegia.Abstract
The traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI), affects individuals in reproductive age and sexually active. Rehabilitation seeks to obtain an optimal functional status, physical, sensory, intellectual, psychological and social. However, it should also seek to restore a satisfactory sexuality for those affected.
Objective: to characterize the most important aspects of sexuality of men with traumatic SCI.
Methodology: cross sectional study. Questionnaire administered to patients in control.
Results: sample of 66 patients, average age 49 years. 93.3%, says some kind of sexual experience, after the SCI. The search for sexual activity corresponds to the desire for intimacy with their partner, being the most common intercourse with kisses and caresses. 54.4% are satisfied with their current sex life. 45.6% is not satisfied, the main reason is the lack of orgasm. Most patients report having spontaneous erections, but transient, carrying out treatment of erectile dysfunction with a high percentage of effectiveness.
Conclusion: the sexuality of people with a traumatic SCI is important for patients who wish to remain sexually active. It remains a challenge to generate a validated instrument for the study of sexuality in this population.
Author Biographies
Jessica Castillo Cuadros, Hospital del Trabajador de Santiago
Carolina Tapia Zambrano, Instituto de Rehabilitación Infantil Teletón. Coquimbo, Chile.
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