Journal of Pain Research (Sep 2018)

Sexual life satisfaction of methadone-maintained Chinese patients: individuals with pain are dissatisfied with their sex lives

  • Zhong BL,
  • Xu YM,
  • Zhu JH,
  • Li HJ

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 11
pp. 1789 – 1794

Abstract

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Bao-Liang Zhong,1,2 Yan-Min Xu,2 Jun-Hong Zhu,2 Hong-Jie Li2 1Research Center for Psychological and Health Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China; 2Affiliated Wuhan Mental Health Center, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China Purpose: Pain is potentially associated with sexual dysfunction. Both sexual dysfunction and pain are common in methadone-maintained patients, but the association of pain with sexual dysfunction in methadone-maintained patients is rarely studied. This study examined the association between pain and sexual life satisfaction (SLS) in Chinese patients receiving methadone maintenance treatment (MMT). Patients and methods: A total of 477 methadone-maintained patients who recently had sex with their sex partners were recruited from three MMT clinics in Wuhan, China. SLS was assessed with a single question, and the sociodemographic, psychological, and clinical data were collected with standardized questionnaires. Pain intensity was assessed with the 5-point verbal rating scale. Multiple ordinary logistic regression was used to control for potential confounders that may bias the pain–SLS relationship. Results: The prevalence of self-reported dissatisfaction with one’s sexual life was significantly higher in patients with clinically significant pain (CSP) than those without CSP (41.5% vs 19.4%, χ2 =23.567, P<0.001). After controlling for potential sociodemographic, psychological, and clinical confounders, CSP was still significantly and independently associated with an increase in sexual life dissatisfaction (OR =1.89, P=0.011). Conclusion: Pain is significantly associated with low SLS in methadone-maintained patients. Appropriate pain management might improve SLS of patients receiving MMT. Keywords: pain, sexual life satisfaction, methadone maintenance treatment

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