Article

OBJECTIVE: To investigate sexual functioning and its predictors in
spouses/partners of persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI). DESIGN: Inception
cohort survey. SETTING: Community. PARTICIPANTS: Persons (N=70) with complicated
mild to severe TBI admitted to 1 of 6 participating TBI Model Systems inpatient
rehabilitation units and their spouses/partners who were both living in the
community and assessed 1 year after injury. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Derogatis Interview for Sexual Functioning Self-Report; Global
Sexual Satisfaction Index. RESULTS: Twenty percent of spouses/partners of persons
with TBI reported sexual dysfunction, and 44% reported dissatisfaction with
sexual functioning. Sixty-two percent of spouses/partners reported a decrease in
sexual activity during the year postinjury, 34% reported a decrease in sexual
drive or desire, and 34% indicated that sexuality was less important in
comparison to preinjury. The sexual functioning of spouses/partners of persons
with TBI was highly associated with the sexual functioning of the person with
TBI. Age of spouses/partners and sexual functioning in persons with the TBI were
significant predictors of spouses'/partners' sexual functioning, even after
controlling for sex of partners and the physical, cognitive, participation, and
sexual functioning of the persons with injury. CONCLUSIONS: Greater sexual
dysfunction in spouses/partners was associated with older age and with poorer
sexual functioning in the person with injury. Rehabilitation professionals should
provide education on the potential impact of TBI on sexual functioning for both
persons with TBI and their spouses/partners, and integrate the assessment of
sexual functioning into their clinical assessment, making appropriate referrals
for therapy.
CI - Copyright (c) 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS