A sexualidade de adultos com lesão medular

Abstract

Background: Spinal Cord Injury is a neurological condition resulting from injury to the spinal cord and partial or total loss of motor, sensory, autonomic and sexual function. In Brazil, young men, victims of urban violence shape the profile of this aggravation. Aim: To describe the sociodemographic, clinical and sexual profile of adults with spinal cord injury, comparing the periods before and after the injury. Methods: It was a cross-sectional, census, descriptive and quantitative study. Participants were 66 adults, with traumatic spinal cord injury, enrolled in the Family Health Units Care of Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil, who had sexual activity before the injury, had no sexual dysfunction prior to the injury, were not in the state of spinal chock and had no other affection concomitant neurological disorder. Data collection took place from july 2017 to february 2018 through the Human Sexuality Questionnaire - Spinal Cord Injury. In order to fulfill the proposed objectives, 27 questions from the instrument were used and the following statistical tests were used: Shapiro-Wilk and Wilcoxon Test. The data were treated in SPSS version 24.0 and presented by means of tables taking into consideration the confidence interval of 95%. The principles of resolution 466/2012 were considered. Results: The study showed a higher prevalence of male participants (81.8%), young people who suffered injuries up to 30 years of age (48.5%), non- whites (74.2%), (42.4%), without partners (53%), have incomplete injuries (75.8%), most of them caused by traffic accidents (34.8%). It was observed that the participants maintained active sexual life (45.5%), however, a statistically significant reduction in activity, frequency, desire and sexual satisfaction as well as in erection, ejaculation and orgasm was identified. Conclusions: The highest prevalence of spinal cord injury is of men, young of productive age, non-white, catholic, of low schooling and victims of traffic violence. Although individuals continue to have sexual activity after the injury, there are reduction in practice, frequency, desire and sexual satisfaction, as well as impairment of the sexual functions of erection, ejaculation and orgasm between the periods before and after the injury. It is suggested that health units care develop new strategies to those users to ensure accessibility to motor rehabilitation and approach to sexuality, including the participation of spouses, to overcome doubts and myths, and to contribute to the readaptation of individuals guaranteeing them the exercise of their sexuality and citizenship.