Table 2.
Perceived difficulties in sexual relations in patients with HS.
| Perceived Difficulties in Sexual Relations | Men (n = 80) | Women (n = 306) | All (n = 386) |
|---|---|---|---|
| How does HS affect your sexual relations? | |||
| “I experience fear of rejection or of the reaction of my sexual partner” | 47.5% (38) | 48% (147) | 47.9% (185) |
| “Pain interferes with my sexual relations” | 48.8% (39) | 65.4% (200) | 61.9% (239) |
| “Suppuration interferes with my sexual relations” | 56.3% (45) | 43.5% (133) | 46.1% (178) |
| “Odor interferes with my sexual relations” | 40% (32) | 31.4% (96) | 33.2% (128) |
| “Treatment interferes with my sexual relations” | 13.8% (11) | 9.8% (30) | 10.6% (41) |
| “None of the above” | 18.8% (15) | 9.5% (29) | 11.4% (44) |
| Would you like to share your sexual problems with healthcare staff? | |||
| “No” | 46.3% (37) | 35.3% (108) | 37.6% (145) |
| “Yes, with my GP” | 8.8% (7) | 15.7% (48) | 14.2% (55) |
| “Yes, with my dermatologist” | 31.3% (25) | 26.8% (82) | 27.7% (107) |
| “Yes, with nursing staff” | 2.5% (2) | 5.6% (17) | 4.9% (19) |
| “Yes, with a psychologist/sexologist” | 27.5% (22) | 41.2% (126) | 38.3% (148) |
Results are expressed as relative (absolute) frequencies. HS: hidradenitis suppurativa. GP: general practitioner.