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Associations between breathlessness and individuals' satisfaction with sexual life : a nationally representative internet survey

Olsson, Max LU orcid ; Sandberg, Jacob LU orcid ; Kochovska, Slavica ; Chang, Sungwon ; Ferreira, Diana ; Pantilat, Steven ; Ekström, Magnus LU orcid and Currow, David (2026) In BMJ Open Respiratory Research 13(1).
Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Sexual life is important for many people and may be limited by breathlessness. We evaluated associations between breathlessness and individuals' perceived satisfaction with sexual lives and explored mediating factors in this relationship. METHODS: A cross-sectional, online, population-based survey of Australian adults with key demographics (age, sex, rurality, state/territory) reflected the 2016 national census. Assessments included: demographics, breathlessness (modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scale); satisfaction with overall sexual life; whether breathlessness had affected overall sexual life and physical, social and emotional functioning. Binomial and ordinal logistic regression evaluated associations; a... (More)

INTRODUCTION: Sexual life is important for many people and may be limited by breathlessness. We evaluated associations between breathlessness and individuals' perceived satisfaction with sexual lives and explored mediating factors in this relationship. METHODS: A cross-sectional, online, population-based survey of Australian adults with key demographics (age, sex, rurality, state/territory) reflected the 2016 national census. Assessments included: demographics, breathlessness (modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scale); satisfaction with overall sexual life; whether breathlessness had affected overall sexual life and physical, social and emotional functioning. Binomial and ordinal logistic regression evaluated associations; a structural equation model evaluated direct, indirect and total associations. RESULTS: Of 10 033 respondents (52% women; mean age 45.4 (SD 18.6)), 4245/10 033 (42%) reported mMRC ≥1, 1214/10 033 (12%) reported being very dissatisfied with their overall sexual life and 943/10 033 (9%) reported that breathlessness had impacted their overall sexual life. Compared with mMRC 0, there was an unadjusted association between mMRC 1 and satisfaction with overall sexual life which remained after adjusting for age, sex and body mass index (adjusted OR (aOR): 1.50; 95% CI 1.29 to 1.74).Breathlessness severity was associated with worse unadjusted and adjusted impact on overall sexual life: mMRC 0 versus mMRC 1 (aOR: 1.84; 95% CI 1.36 to 2.47). The associations increased stepwise for each higher mMRC level. There may be moderation of the effect of breathlessness on satisfaction with sexual life through emotional functioning. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing breathlessness severity increases the likelihood of a person's overall sexual life being impacted negatively, potentially mediated partly through emotional functioning.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Perception of Asthma/Breathlessness
in
BMJ Open Respiratory Research
volume
13
issue
1
article number
e003907
publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • scopus:105032342392
  • pmid:41786446
ISSN
2052-4439
DOI
10.1136/bmjresp-2025-003907
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2026. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group.
id
9d3b40b4-329b-4c79-9d75-de38301584b7
date added to LUP
2026-03-20 10:38:05
date last changed
2026-05-29 18:09:41
@article{9d3b40b4-329b-4c79-9d75-de38301584b7,
  abstract     = {{<p>INTRODUCTION: Sexual life is important for many people and may be limited by breathlessness. We evaluated associations between breathlessness and individuals' perceived satisfaction with sexual lives and explored mediating factors in this relationship. METHODS: A cross-sectional, online, population-based survey of Australian adults with key demographics (age, sex, rurality, state/territory) reflected the 2016 national census. Assessments included: demographics, breathlessness (modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scale); satisfaction with overall sexual life; whether breathlessness had affected overall sexual life and physical, social and emotional functioning. Binomial and ordinal logistic regression evaluated associations; a structural equation model evaluated direct, indirect and total associations. RESULTS: Of 10 033 respondents (52% women; mean age 45.4 (SD 18.6)), 4245/10 033 (42%) reported mMRC ≥1, 1214/10 033 (12%) reported being very dissatisfied with their overall sexual life and 943/10 033 (9%) reported that breathlessness had impacted their overall sexual life. Compared with mMRC 0, there was an unadjusted association between mMRC 1 and satisfaction with overall sexual life which remained after adjusting for age, sex and body mass index (adjusted OR (aOR): 1.50; 95% CI 1.29 to 1.74).Breathlessness severity was associated with worse unadjusted and adjusted impact on overall sexual life: mMRC 0 versus mMRC 1 (aOR: 1.84; 95% CI 1.36 to 2.47). The associations increased stepwise for each higher mMRC level. There may be moderation of the effect of breathlessness on satisfaction with sexual life through emotional functioning. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing breathlessness severity increases the likelihood of a person's overall sexual life being impacted negatively, potentially mediated partly through emotional functioning.</p>}},
  author       = {{Olsson, Max and Sandberg, Jacob and Kochovska, Slavica and Chang, Sungwon and Ferreira, Diana and Pantilat, Steven and Ekström, Magnus and Currow, David}},
  issn         = {{2052-4439}},
  keywords     = {{Perception of Asthma/Breathlessness}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{BMJ Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{BMJ Open Respiratory Research}},
  title        = {{Associations between breathlessness and individuals' satisfaction with sexual life : a nationally representative internet survey}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjresp-2025-003907}},
  doi          = {{10.1136/bmjresp-2025-003907}},
  volume       = {{13}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}