Quality of sexual life in Mexican men after spinal cord injury

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the quality of sexual life in men with spinal cord injury. Design: Cross-sectional analytical study. Patients: Males with a history of spinal cord injury who attended an outpatient rehabilitation service. Methods: An analytical study examined adult male patients with complete spinal cord injury in rehabilitation. A modified Sexual Life Quality Questionnaire (SLQQ) examined quality of sexual life, with scores below 50 suggesting significant sexual dysfunction and dissatisfaction. The assessment evaluated age, occupation, marital status, comorbidities, and treatment methods. Results: A total of 80 patients were included; 33 (41%) had a thoracic spinal cord injury, and 47 (59%) had a lumbar spinal cord injury. Thirty-seven patients (46%) were dissatisfied with the quality of their sexual life; 29 patients (88%) with thoracic spinal cord injury and 8 patients (17%) with lumbar spinal cord injury were dissatisfied with the quality of their sexual life (p = 0.001). Patients with higher education level experienced less sexual dissatisfaction (p = 0.03). Conclusion: Human sexuality involves numerous interconnected elements that impact on general health. Sexual pleasure, self-esteem, and personal relationships are crucial for patients with spinal cord injury to identify rehabilitation needs. These results indicate the importance of supporting sexual well-being in recovery. Further studies of sexual enjoyment and quality of life for patients with spinal cord injury are needed, using larger and more diverse populations.

Keywords

• sexual dysfunction
• spinal cord injury
• psychosocial support
• sexual health
• neurological rehabilitation
• self-esteem