• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.24-32
• /
• 2010

Purpose: This study was done to identify psychosocial factors that might be predictive of sexual desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain in women with gynecologic cancer. Methods: Two hundred and twelve women with cervical, ovarian, or endometrial cancer completed questionnaires on the Female Sexual Function Index including sexual desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain, and data on their psychosocial factors including body image, sexual attitude, sexual information, depression, and marital intimacy. Stepwise multivariable regression analysis was performed to explore psychosocial predictors of women’s sexual function domains. Results: Predictors were identified as sexual attitude, depression, sexual information, and body image for sexual desire; sexual information, depression, and sexual attitude for sexual arousal; sexual information, marital intimacy, and depression for lubrication; sexual information, marital intimacy, depression, and body image for orgasm; marital intimacy, sexual information, sexual attitude, and depression for satisfaction; sexual information, depression, and marital intimacy for pain. Conclusion: The results indicate that women’s sexual function needs to be approached to domains of female sexual function psychosocially as well as to general sexual function. These factors should be considered in future interventions to positively promote sexual function in women with gynecologic cancer.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.35 no.6
• /
• pp.1174-1182
• /
• 2005

Purpose : This study examined the relationship between sexual changes and adjustment and identified the factors which affect adjustment after a hysterectomy. Method : The subjects were 89 women under 50 years of age registered at gynecology departments of general hospitals in Seoul. Result : $60.7\%$ of the women restarted coitus during six weeks to three months post operation. They felt a decrease in vaginal secretions$(68\%)$, and abdominal and pelvic pain$(59.8\%)$, but2/3 of them didn't change the frequency of coitus and level of orgasm. With respect to the adaptability of the sexual life, there was a significant difference in the time to restart coitus, coitus, lack of vaginal secretions, abdominal and pelvic pain, change of frequency of coitus, experience of orgasm, importance of sex and avoidance of coitus, according to job, income, and health condition. Conclusion : It is appropriate to restart coitus six weeks to three months after surgery and preliminary information should be given to patients after surgery as abdominal and pelvic pain could be relieved after twelve months. Also, sexual adjustment can be improved if they can recognize the changes after surgery from sexual life before surgery.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.41 no.4
• /
• pp.471-480
• /
• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Permission, Limited Information, Specific Suggestions, Intensive Therapy (PLISSIT) model sexual program on female sexual function for women with gynecologic cancer. Methods: The integrative 6-hr (two hours per session) program reflecting physical and psychosocial aspects of women's sexuality was developed based on Annon's PLISSIT model. Participants were 61 women with cervical, ovarian, or endometrial cancer. Of them, 29 were assigned to the experimental group and 32 to the control group. The women completed the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) including sexual desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. Independent t-test and repeated measured ANOVA were used to test the effectiveness of the program. Results: Significant group differences were found on FSFI sub-domain scores including sexual desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and satisfaction but not pain. Significant time differences were found on all domains except for pain in the experimental group repeated measured ANOVA. Conclusion: The results indicate that the three-week PLISSIT model sexual program is effective in increasing sexual function for women with gynecologic cancer. Nurses may contribute to improving women's sexual function by utilizing the program. Strategies to relieve sexual pain need to be considered for greater effectiveness of the program.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.44-51
• /
• 2003

Objectives: Antidepressants are frequently associated with sexual dysfunction. Especially, there were few report of sexual dysfunction related with venlafaxine and mirtazapine in Korea. The purpose of this survey was to evaluate the frequency and nature of sexual dysfunction related with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors(SSRIs), venlafaxine and mirtazapine by the use of specific questionaires. Methods: In one hundred twenty two patients, sexual dysfunction was investigated cross-sectionally by using The questionaires for sexual dysfunction, which includes questions about decreased libido, delayed orgasm or ejaculation, premature ejaculation or orgasm, absence of orgasm or ejaculation, erectile dysfunction in men/vaginal lubrication dysfunction in women, sexual pain and patient's tolerance of the sexual dysfunction. BDI was also measured. Sexual dysfunction was analyzed in association with the duration and the dose of medications and the severity of depression. Results: The incidence of sexual dysfunction during antidepressants use in our survey was 37.7%. There were no difference of incidence in sexes(p=.746). In comparison of paroxetine, venlafaxine and mirtazapine, there were no significant differences of the incidence(p=.065) and the severity of any type of sexual dysfunction. Conclusion: Although there were no significant differences of sexual dysfunction in our survey, sexual dysfunction may be closely associated with antidepressants. Further prospective study of sexual dysfunction should be needed.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.8
• /
• pp.3747-3751
• /
• 2016

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a combination of chronic anovulation, obesity, and hyperandrogenism and can affect sexual function in women of reproductive age. It is also associated with endometrial cancer. Our aim was to evaluate the frequency and predisposing factors of sexual dysfunction in PCOS patients. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 16 married women with a definite diagnosis of PCOS were recruited. Sexual function was assessed in the domains of desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain using the female sexual function index (FSFI) questionnaire. Patients were also assessed for mental health using the depression, anxiety and stress (DASS-21) questionnaire. Presence of hirsutism was assessed using the Ferriman-Gallwey (FG) scoring system. Demographic data were obtained from patients during in-person interview. Results: Sexual dysfunction was present in 62.5% of patients with the domains of arousal and lubrication particularly affected (93.8% and 87.5%, respectively). Patients with symptoms of depression and anxiety were significantly more likely to suffer sexual dysfunction than those without these symptoms (p=0.04 and p=0.03 respectively). Patients with stress symptoms reported higher orgasm dysfunction than those without (p=0.02). No significant difference in any of the FSFI score domains was observed between patients with and without hirsutism. Conclusions: PCOS patients markedly suffer from sexual dysfunction and therefore it seems appropriate to be screened for intervention. Poor mental health conditions that may be the result of infertility or other complications of PCOS should also be considered as curable causes of sexual dysfunction in these patients.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
• /
• v.41 no.7
• /
• pp.39-58
• /
• 2003

The Purpose of this study explored how sexual and marital satisfaction were influenced by various sexual variables such as sexual communication, sexual function of wives and husbands, sexual compatibility, attitude toward sex, knowledge of sex, times of sexual relation, duration of a sexual intercourse and frequency of orgasm. Subject of this study was 221 married women aged between 20 and 49 years old. And, SPSSWIN and LISREL(Linear Structural Relationship) Ⅷ program was applied to analyze data. The proposed theoretical model was supported by the data and fitted adequately. As the result, there was a statistically effect of sexual communication, sexual compatibility and times of sexual relations, intermediated by sexual satisfaction, on marital satisfaction.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.6
• /
• pp.3561-3564
• /
• 2013

Background: The negative effects of gynecologic cancer on women's health is multidimensional. Sexual problems arising after chemotherapy are decreased interest and vaginal lubrication, lack of orgasm and dyspareunia and sense of reduction in sexual attractiveness in general. The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes that patients who receive chemotherapy for a gynecologic oncology disorder experience in their sexual functions. Materials and Methods: A descriptive/cross-sectional and qualitative study was performed. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) was used in order to collect data on sexual capacity. The quantitative data obtained were evaluated with frequency and percentage calculations while content analysis was performed for the qualitative data. Results: All of the information related to sexuality was provided by the physician. Chemotherapy treatment affected sexuality negatively in 55.9%. Since receiving the diagnosis, 52.9% of women had experienced no sexual intercourse at all. Those who had an FSFI score of 30 and below made up 75% of the women. After the content analysis of data obtained during in in-depth interviewing, we focused on three main themes: desire for sexual intercourse, problems experienced during sexual intercourse, and coping with problems. Conclusions: An integrated system where sexual problems can be handled professionally should be present during gynecological cancer treatment.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.37-44
• /
• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the sexual dysfunction of diabetic women in order to provide basic data contributed in nursing intervention. Method: A convenience sample consisted of 67 subjects with diabetes who attended outpatient department of 2 university hospitals. After verbal consent was obtained, subjects were asked to complete a questionnaire including BISF-W developed by Taylor et al. Data were collected from April 27 to May 22, 2006, and were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, oneway ANOVA using SPSS 12.0 program. Results: This study discovered that the degree of sexual dysfunction of women with diabetes was high, and in particular that most of the women with diabetes did not have satisfactory sex life because of lack of vaginal lubrication, lower sexual desire, lower orgasm, and sexual pain. The test of differences in sexual dysfunction according to demographic and disease-related characteristics revealed that significant differences existed only with regard to menopause and age. Conclusion: As the sexual function of women varies widely among individuals, we would like to emphasize the importance of sexual counseling and education programs to improve the quality of life of diabetic women to prevent or relieve their sexual dysfunction.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.46-56
• /
• 2007

Purpose: This study attempted to identify the sexual function (ALARM: Activity, Libido, Arousal and orgasm, Resolution, Medical history) of patients who have had an ostomy for the development of an ALARM sexual counseling program. Method: Subjects for this descriptive study were recruited from the outpatient clinic of a university affiliated medical center and peer group. Fifty-two subjects who have had an ostomy and lived with their spouse were selected. Instruments were developed by researchers based on the ALARM model by Anderson (1990). Results: In the subject group, 32.7% patients were not sexually active and 76.9% hesitated to have sexual activity because of the stoma. The mean score of resolution was 13.2 (range: 8-32), with a higher score for couple's intimacy indicating a higher level of libido and resolution. Conclusion: This study presents a series of clinical guidelines that nurses can use to accurately assess sexual health issues and select appropriate sexual counseling for patients with an ostomy.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.449-456
• /
• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of health perception, body image and sexual function on depression according to the menopausal stage in Korean middle aged women. Methods: Subjects were 182 perimenopausal and postmenopausal women who had not received hormonal replacement therapy. A five-item General HealthShort Form (SF-36) Health Survey Questionnaire (Ware & Sherbourne, 1992) was used to measure health perception. Body image was measured Semantic Differential scale, CES-D was used to measure the level of depression, and sexual function was measured by FSFI. Results: The subjects rated their health as 'moderate', their body image as 'moderate, and level of depression as 'high'. However, there were no significant differences in health perception, body image, and depression between perimenopasual and postmenopausal women. Postmenopausal women experienced lower levels of sexual function than perimenopausal women in sexual arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. In stepwise regression analysis, 21.7% of variance in depression was shown to be perceived health and body image in postmenopausal women. However, in perimenopausal women, perceived health and sexual function explained 34.5% of variance in depression. Conclusion: These findings indicate that nurses must consider the menopasusal stage when counseling their patients.