Original Paper Digestion 1992;52:179-183
a Gastrointestinal Research Unit, Leicester General Hospital, Leicester; b University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff, UK
Key Words Crohn’s disease Sexual dysfunction Dyspareunia Counselling
Sexual Dysfunction amongst Women with Crohn's Disease: A Hidden Problem
Abstract
The sexual problems of 50 women with Crohn’s disease, of whom 45 had a stable relationship, were investigated by struc tured interview and compared with age-matched controls. Twenty-four percent patients had either infrequent or no intercourse compared with 4% of controls (x2 = 8.3, p < 0.005). However, amongst patients and controls who were sex ually active, the frequency of intercourse was similar. Reasons for sexual inactivity included abdominal pain (24%), diar rhoea (20%) and fear of faecal incontinence (14%). Dyspareu nia was common in patients (x2 = 6.5, p < 0.01) and this was irrespective of the site of disease (large vs. small bowel y} = 0.85, NS). Women with perianal disease and fistulae were more likely to have dyspareunia than women with neither (X2 = 4.2, p < 0.05), although this was not so for less extensive involvement with only perianal disease (%2 = 2.8, NS) or fistu lae (x2 = 0.8, NS). Vaginal candidiasis was more common in patients (%2 = 5.8, p < 0.02), and on occasions this may have contributed to dyspareunia. Women with Crohn’s disease experience sexual problems much more than healthy controls and they need support, sympathetic investigation and man agement.
Introduction
The association of sexual problems with chronic disorders is well recognised amongst women and has been described in diabetes
Received: November 29,1991 Received in revised form: May 4,1992
mellitus [ 1], myocardial infarction [2] and fol lowing spinal cord injuries [3], However, the existence of such problems amongst women with digestive disorders has received little attention [4-10], The reasons are unclear, but
Dr. G. Moody Leicester General Hospital Gwendolen Road Leicester LE5 4PW (UK)
©1992 S. Karger AG, Basel 0012-2823/92/ 0524-0179S2.75/0
Downloaded by: Univ. of California Santa Barbara 128.111.121.42 - 3/6/2018 11:57:11 PM
G. Moodya C. S. J. Proberta E. M. Srivastavab J. Rhodesb J.F. Mayberrya
[4-11] may reflect a lack of readiness to dis cuss them with their family doctors and spe cialists who are largely unaware of these needs. On rare occasions when the subjects is broached, the advice given is frequently inad equate [5], In this study we investigated the frequency and nature of sexual problems in order to form a basis on which to develop bet ter counselling programmes.
Table 1. Statistical comparison of dyspareunia amongst 50 patients with Crohn’s disease and con trols Site of disease
Comparison
X2
Small bowel Large bowel Large bowel
controls controls small bowel
6.3 9.4 0.85
P
a Gastrointestinal Research Unit, Leicester General Hospital, Leicester; b University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff, UK
Key Words Crohn’s disease Sexual dysfunction Dyspareunia Counselling
Sexual Dysfunction amongst Women with Crohn's Disease: A Hidden Problem
Abstract
The sexual problems of 50 women with Crohn’s disease, of whom 45 had a stable relationship, were investigated by struc tured interview and compared with age-matched controls. Twenty-four percent patients had either infrequent or no intercourse compared with 4% of controls (x2 = 8.3, p < 0.005). However, amongst patients and controls who were sex ually active, the frequency of intercourse was similar. Reasons for sexual inactivity included abdominal pain (24%), diar rhoea (20%) and fear of faecal incontinence (14%). Dyspareu nia was common in patients (x2 = 6.5, p < 0.01) and this was irrespective of the site of disease (large vs. small bowel y} = 0.85, NS). Women with perianal disease and fistulae were more likely to have dyspareunia than women with neither (X2 = 4.2, p < 0.05), although this was not so for less extensive involvement with only perianal disease (%2 = 2.8, NS) or fistu lae (x2 = 0.8, NS). Vaginal candidiasis was more common in patients (%2 = 5.8, p < 0.02), and on occasions this may have contributed to dyspareunia. Women with Crohn’s disease experience sexual problems much more than healthy controls and they need support, sympathetic investigation and man agement.
Introduction
The association of sexual problems with chronic disorders is well recognised amongst women and has been described in diabetes
Received: November 29,1991 Received in revised form: May 4,1992
mellitus [ 1], myocardial infarction [2] and fol lowing spinal cord injuries [3], However, the existence of such problems amongst women with digestive disorders has received little attention [4-10], The reasons are unclear, but
Dr. G. Moody Leicester General Hospital Gwendolen Road Leicester LE5 4PW (UK)
©1992 S. Karger AG, Basel 0012-2823/92/ 0524-0179S2.75/0
Downloaded by: Univ. of California Santa Barbara 128.111.121.42 - 3/6/2018 11:57:11 PM
G. Moodya C. S. J. Proberta E. M. Srivastavab J. Rhodesb J.F. Mayberrya
[4-11] may reflect a lack of readiness to dis cuss them with their family doctors and spe cialists who are largely unaware of these needs. On rare occasions when the subjects is broached, the advice given is frequently inad equate [5], In this study we investigated the frequency and nature of sexual problems in order to form a basis on which to develop bet ter counselling programmes.
Table 1. Statistical comparison of dyspareunia amongst 50 patients with Crohn’s disease and con trols Site of disease
Comparison
X2
Small bowel Large bowel Large bowel
controls controls small bowel
6.3 9.4 0.85
P
