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A sexual profile of adults with cystic fibrosis : the sexuality and sexual concerns of adults with cystic fibrosis

University of British Columbia

Only in recent years have diagnostic and therapeutic advances lengthened the life expectancy for patients who have cystic fibrosis sufficiently to allow some of them to live into adulthood. Health care professionals have been focusing on survival issues and are only recently beginning to look at quality of life issues, such as sexuality, of these patients. The purpose of the study was to create a sexual profile of adults with cystic fibrosis which would describe their sexuality and sexual concerns. A questionnaire was developed and sent to all of the adult cystic fibrosis patients (19 years of age and older) in British Columbia (50 patients), all of whom attend the Shaughnessy Hospital Adult CF Clinic in Vancouver. The 62% response rate provided data for the sexual profile which indicated that 90% of the respondents were sexually active. Only a small number of subjects reported sexual difficulties in their relationships. Concerns about the impact of CF on their sexuality included: the effect of the potentially limited lifespan on their relationships, practical considerations such as fatigue and coughing during sexual activity, and poor body image. A major issue for CF males is that most of them are infertile due to CF. How and when men should be told about this issue was an important question for the CF Clinic staff. Responses indicated that men thought they should find out from either the physician in the pediatric CF clinic or the physician in the adult CF clinic. Furthermore, 100% of the men suggested that this issue be discussed with males before the age of 19 years. Limitations and recommendations of the research are discussed. A major recommendation is for physicians and other health care professionals in CF clinics to give patients the opportunity to discuss sexual issues.

Text

2010-07-26

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/26909

Counselling Psychology

University of British Columbia

Graduate