Sexuality and chronic pain in long-lived females: description of
               interferential factors

Santos, Alana Meneses; Santos, Fânia Cristina dos; Cendoroglo, Maysa Seabra

doi:10.5935/1806-0013.20150010

Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

Brasil

Español English

sumário « anterior atual seguinte »

Sumário

ORIGINAL ARTICLES • Rev. dor 16 (1) • Jan-Mar 2015 • https://doi.org/10.5935/1806-0013.20150010 copy

Sexuality and chronic pain in long-lived females: description of interferential factors^* * Received from the Discipline of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Federal University of São Paulo, Paulista School of Medicine, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Approximately 60% of chronic pain individuals complain of sexual dysfunction, the prevalence of which varies from 20 to 88%. Among sexual complaints most reported by elderly females there are low interest, difficult vaginal lubrication and inability to reach orgasm. This study aimed at checking the prevalence of sexual dysfunction among long-lived females with chronic pain and at describing interfering factors.

METHODS:

This was a descriptive, analytical and cross-sectional study with females above 80 years of age. Data were collected on demographics, comorbidities and use of drugs, in addition to chronic pain evaluation and measurement and identification of sexual dysfunctions by the Short Personal Experiences Questionnaire.

RESULTS:

Participated in the study 32 elderly females, with mean age of 87 years, most of them widows, with less than 4 years of education, good self-reported health, without sexual partner and with primarily osteoarthritis-induced nociceptive pain.The prevalenceof sexual dysfunctionwasfoundtobe 78% ofelderlywithchronicpainwith a mean score of7. Major reason for sexual inactivity was lack of a partner. In approximately 28.1% it was observed that chronic pain would interfere with sexuality. It was also observed that no elderly female had been previously addressed as to their sexuality, although 68.8% have stated that would have liked to be addressed.

CONCLUSION:

Chronic pain was considered a factor interfering with sexual practices of studied long-lived females, suggesting that this symptom may impair sexuality during aging.

Chronic pain; Geriatrics; Health of the elderly; Physiological sexual dysfunction; Sexuality

Sociedade Brasileira para o Estudo da Dor Av. Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves, 937 cj 2, 04014-012 São Paulo SP Brasil, Tel.: (55 11) 5904 3959, Fax: (55 11) 5904 2881 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: dor@dor.org.br

Acompanhe os números deste periódico no seu leitor de RSS

[1] Correspondence to: Alana Meneses Santos Rua Francisco de Castro, 105 – Vila Clementino 04020-050 São Paulo, SP. E-mail: alanasantos@homail.com

Age (years)	n		32
	Mean		87.0
	Median		86.0
	Minimum-maximum		80.0-96.0
	Standard deviation		4.6
Education (years)	n		32
	Mean		3.1
	Median		3.5
	Minimum-maximum		0.0-10.0
	Standard deviation		2.0
Marital status	Single	7	21.9%
	Married	5	15.6%
	Separated	1	3.1%
	Widow	19	59.4%
	Total	32	100.0%
Religion	Catholic	12	66.7%
	Evangelist	4	22.2%
	Spiritualist	1	5.6%
	Mormon	1	5.6%
	Total	18	100.0%

Basic daily life activities
	Mean score		5.4
	Median		5.0
	Minimum-maximum		5.0-6.0
	Standard deviation		0.5
Instrumental daily life activities
	Mean score		24.1
	Median		25.0
	Minimum-maximum	17.0-27.0
	Standard deviation		2.8
Health selfevaluation	Excellent	1	3.1%
	Good	16	50.0%
	Regular	12	37.5%
	Poor	3	9.4%
	Total	32	100.0%
Opioid analgesic	No	28	87.5%
	Yes	4	12.5%
	Total	32	100.0%
Antidepressant	Duloxetine	2	6.3%
	Serotonin reuptake inhibitor	6	18.8%
	Tricyclic	4	12.5%
	No antidepressants	20	62.5%
	Total	32	100.0%
Anticonvulsant	No	30	93.8%
	Yes	2	6.3%
	Total	32	100.0%
Pain interference with sexual activity	No	23	71.9%
	Yes	9	28.1%
	Total	32	100.0%

Sexual activity frequency (a)	Never	n	%
Sexual activity frequency (a)		26	81.3
	Less than once a week	3	9.4
	Once to twice a week	1	3.1
	Several times a week	2	6.3
Frequency of fantasies (b)	Never	15	46.9
	Less than once a week	14	43.8
	Once to twice a week	1	3.1
	Several times a week	2	6.3
Stimulation score (c)			Score
	Mean		2.3
	Median		2.0
	Minimum-maximum		1-4
	Standard deviation		1.1
Satisfaction score (d)			Score
	Mean		2.7
	Median		2.0
	Minimum-maximum		1-6
	Standard deviation		2.0
Orgasm score (e)			Score
	Mean		2.6
	Median		2.0
	Minimum-maximum		1-6
	Standard deviation		1.7
Sexual partner in the last month	No	N	%
Sexual partner in the last month		29	90.6
	Yes	3	9.4
Partner score	2	1	33.3
	6	2	66.7
In love score	3	1	33.3
	6	2	66.7
Score according to sexual partner problem	1	1	33.3
	2	1	33.3
	6	1	33.3
Penetration	No	30	93.8
	Yes	2	6.3
	Total	32	100.0
Score of pain during penetration	1	1	50.0
	3	1	50.0
	Total	2	100.0

Brasil

Brasil

Sexuality and chronic pain in long-lived females: description of interferential factors* * Received from the Discipline of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Federal University of São Paulo, Paulista School of Medicine, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

METHODS:

RESULTS:

CONCLUSION:

Sexuality and chronic pain in long-lived females: description of interferential factors^* * Received from the Discipline of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Federal University of São Paulo, Paulista School of Medicine, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.