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A literature review of the sexual health of women with rheumatoid arthritis

Areskoug Josefsson, Kristina LU and Öberg, Ulrika (2009) In Musculoskeletal Care 7(4). p.219-226
Abstract
Sexual health problems are common for women with Rheumatoid Arthritis, RA. Sexual health is covered in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) by two different fields: sexual function and intimate relationships, which are included in the ICF core sets for RA. Most patients with RA are female, and there are differences concerning sexual health between women and men with RA.The aim of this study was to explore the literature concerning the effects of RA on the sexual health of female patients, and also recommend solutions to improve the sexual health of women with RA.Sexual health problems can occur before, during and after sexual activities, and can affect women's sexual health in different perspectives.... (More)
Sexual health problems are common for women with Rheumatoid Arthritis, RA. Sexual health is covered in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) by two different fields: sexual function and intimate relationships, which are included in the ICF core sets for RA. Most patients with RA are female, and there are differences concerning sexual health between women and men with RA.The aim of this study was to explore the literature concerning the effects of RA on the sexual health of female patients, and also recommend solutions to improve the sexual health of women with RA.Sexual health problems can occur before, during and after sexual activities, and can affect women's sexual health in different perspectives. The investigated areas concerning female RA-patients and sexual are general sexual problems, sexual satisfaction, sexual desire, sexual performance, and sexual functioning. RA affects sexual health as a result of pain, reduced joint mobility, fatigue, depression and body image alterations. The investigated material provides few solutions to sexual health problems of female RA-patients. The most commonly mentioned solution is increased information and communication between health professionals and patients. Some of the studies recommend physiotherapy. Further research is needed to understand which types of intervention can help women with RA to improve their sexual health. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Rehabilitation, sexual Health, women´s Health, literature Review, physiotherapy, physical therapy
in
Musculoskeletal Care
volume
7
issue
4
pages
219 - 226
publisher
Wiley
external identifiers
  • other:10.1002/msc.152
  • scopus:70849130347
  • pmid:19242923
ISSN
1478-2189
DOI
10.1002/msc.152
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Division of Physiotherapy (Closed 2012) (013042000)
id
f027ddc5-dcbf-4a77-b1c6-ce506d29dbba (old id 3994280)
alternative location
http://ehis.ebscohost.com.ludwig.lub.lu.se/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=4eab01b7-ce4a-4757-b0ac-014ba6aa4e6f%40sessionmgr113&vid=2&hid=102
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 10:28:39
date last changed
2022-01-29 20:20:49
@article{f027ddc5-dcbf-4a77-b1c6-ce506d29dbba,
  abstract     = {{Sexual health problems are common for women with Rheumatoid Arthritis, RA. Sexual health is covered in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) by two different fields: sexual function and intimate relationships, which are included in the ICF core sets for RA. Most patients with RA are female, and there are differences concerning sexual health between women and men with RA.The aim of this study was to explore the literature concerning the effects of RA on the sexual health of female patients, and also recommend solutions to improve the sexual health of women with RA.Sexual health problems can occur before, during and after sexual activities, and can affect women's sexual health in different perspectives. The investigated areas concerning female RA-patients and sexual are general sexual problems, sexual satisfaction, sexual desire, sexual performance, and sexual functioning. RA affects sexual health as a result of pain, reduced joint mobility, fatigue, depression and body image alterations. The investigated material provides few solutions to sexual health problems of female RA-patients. The most commonly mentioned solution is increased information and communication between health professionals and patients. Some of the studies recommend physiotherapy. Further research is needed to understand which types of intervention can help women with RA to improve their sexual health.}},
  author       = {{Areskoug Josefsson, Kristina and Öberg, Ulrika}},
  issn         = {{1478-2189}},
  keywords     = {{Rehabilitation; sexual Health; women´s Health; literature Review; physiotherapy; physical therapy}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{219--226}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley}},
  series       = {{Musculoskeletal Care}},
  title        = {{A literature review of the sexual health of women with rheumatoid arthritis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/msc.152}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/msc.152}},
  volume       = {{7}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}