3/2007Sexual activity among men after stroke

TOMASZ BĄCZKOWSKI (Klinika Rozrodczości i Ginekologii Pomorskiej Akademii Medycznej w Szczecinie; Kierownik: dr hab. med. Andrzej Starczewski)

Background
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Material and methods
The study was carried out among 33 patients after stroke with small or minimal impairment of life efficiency according to Barthel scale (14–20). The patients with psychical disorders, depression, dementia and aphasia were excluded from the study. The authors used own questionnaire concerning sexual activity including 16 closed questions. The results were evaluated statistically.

Results
Worsening of relations with partner was found at 48.5% of questioned, among 51.5% of them the relations were on the same level. Analyzing sexual sphere comparing to the state before stroke decidedly lower level of sexual activity was observed at 36% and small decrease among 27%. The loss of the sexual activity was declared by 27% questioned and only 9% of the patients did not observe changes. Nobody evaluated his sexual activity as very satisfactory, most of the patients evaluated the level of sexual activity as very low (42.4%), low (24.3%), the rest as satisfactory (33.3%). Among the reasons of changes of sexual activity the most often were given: decrease of own attractiveness (57.6%), lower level of libido (sexual desire) (57.6%), impairment (51.5%), partner’s fears (45.4%). The other reasons as fears about own health, the lack of satisfactory, change of partner’s role, change of relations with partner were given more rarely (33.3%–21.2%).

Key words: sexual dysfunctions, stroke, Barthel index, impairment