Abstract
Sexual function in patients with Parkinson's disease has received virtually no attention. There are many reasons (physical, psychological and social), why such patients might experience problems within their sexual relationships. A group of patients and their partners completed a series of self-report measures, aimed at assessing sexual function and a range of factors which might be associated with any difficulties. The results revealed a high level of dysfunction, not just in the patients but also in their partners. Most effected were the couples in which the patient was male. A range of problems were reported by both patients and their partners. These were, in turn, associated with a range of variables relating to the disease, psychological and social factors. No simple causal model was suggested, and a multimodal therapeutic approach might be expected to have most benefit.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Brown R. G., MacCarthy B., Gotham A. M., Der G. J., Marsden C. D. Depression and disability in Parkinson's disease: a follow-up of 132 cases. Psychol Med. 1988 Feb;18(1):49–55. doi: 10.1017/s0033291700001872. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Brown R. G., MacCarthy B., Jahanshahi M., Marsden C. D. Accuracy of self-reported disability in patients with parkinsonism. Arch Neurol. 1989 Sep;46(9):955–959. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1989.00520450025014. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Felton B. J., Revenson T. A. Coping with chronic illness: a study of illness controllability and the influence of coping strategies on psychological adjustment. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1984 Jun;52(3):343–353. doi: 10.1037//0022-006x.52.3.343. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Gotham A. M., Brown R. G., Marsden C. D. Depression in Parkinson's disease: a quantitative and qualitative analysis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1986 Apr;49(4):381–389. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.49.4.381. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Osborn M., Hawton K., Gath D. Sexual dysfunction among middle aged women in the community. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1988 Apr 2;296(6627):959–962. doi: 10.1136/bmj.296.6627.959. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Robinson B. C. Validation of a Caregiver Strain Index. J Gerontol. 1983 May;38(3):344–348. doi: 10.1093/geronj/38.3.344. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Vogel H. P., Schiffter R. Hypersexuality--a complication of dopaminergic therapy in Parkinson's disease. Pharmacopsychiatria. 1983 Jul;16(4):107–110. doi: 10.1055/s-2007-1017459. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wise T. N. Sexual dysfunction in the medically ill. Psychosomatics. 1983 Sep;24(9):787-801, 805. doi: 10.1016/s0033-3182(83)73150-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]