Table 6.
Summaries of studies comparing male and female sexual function.
| Study | Population | Sexual Activity | How sexual function was assessed |
Sexual Satisfaction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barf50 |
SB aperta or occulta 179 people ages 16-25 yrs (74 males, 105 females) from 11 clinics Comparison group: 132 people without SB ages 18-25 yrs SB type 37/179 (21%) SB occulta, 23/179 (13%) SB aperta HC− 119/179 (66%) SB aperta HC+ |
Unknown | Life Satisfaction Questionnaire |
Overall: 81/179 (45%) satisfied with sex life vs 73/132 (55%) of control group SB Type: 17/32 (54%) SB occulta 14/23 (59%) SB aperta HC−, 46/119 (39%) SB aperta HC+ satisfied LOL: Those with a higher LOL less satisfied than those with lower LOL (OR 2.84, CI 1.31-6.15, p<0.01) Gender: Males less satisfied than females (OR 3.05, CI 1.04-2.73, p<0.05) |
| Bomalaski22 |
SB aperta: 38 people (18 males and 20 females) median age 24 yrs (range 18-47) from a single institution |
3/16 (13%) males and 8/15 (53%) of women had intercourse -significantly different (p<0.005) |
||
| Cardenas3 |
SB* 121 people ages 15-35 yrs (52 males, 69 females) HC: HC+ 25/52 (48%) males and 36/69 (52%) females HC− 27/52 (52%) males and 33/69 (48%) females |
13/27 (48%) HC− males, 17/25 (68%) HC+ males, 21 HC− females, 16/36 HC+ females -no significant difference |
Perceived Quality of Life Scale (PQOL) |
PQOL satisfaction with level of sexual activity: Male HC− 5.77 (±3.24), Male HC+ 4.28 (±3.34); Female HC− 7.17 (±3.61); Female HC− 7.53 (±2.86) -No significant difference by gender or HC |
| Gatti26 |
SB aperta or occulta 295 people ≥18 yrs (125 male, 170 female) |
More likely to be sexually active: men (OR 2.1), older (OR 1.1), lower LOL (OR 3.4) | ||
| Lassmann37 |
SB*: 76 people (42 males, 24 females) mean age 24 yrs (range 18-37) |
Intercourse in last 2 months: 9/42 (21%) males, 9/24 (27%) females LOL: 4/28 (14%) Thoracic, 0/2 (0%) L1, 7/21 33%) L3, 3/19 (16%) L4-5, 4/6 (67%) sacral -significantly different (p<0.05) Shunt Status: 11/63 (17%) with a shunt, 7/13 (54%) without -significantly different (p<0.05) |
WSFQ in SA only | WSFQ score for satisfaction in SA: M 13.3 (±1.3), F 12.4 (±2.8) (maximum score 15) -not significantly different -no significant difference for all WSFQ domains (desire, arousal, orgasm, satisfaction) |
| Valtonen47 |
MMC: 41 people (23 male, 18 female) mean age 31.1 yrs (range 19.6-50.5) |
Questionnaire made for study | Satisfaction with sex life: Gender: M median score 5, F median score 8 (p<0.05) (score range 0-10, 10 is best) Sex Counseling: those who reported sufficient sex counseling more satisfied (p=0.012) Living with a partner: increased satisfaction for males (p=0.041) not females (p=0.963) |
|
| Verhoef34 | SB aperta or occulta: 157 people (64 males, 94 females) mean age 20.8 yrs (range 16-25) |
35/157 (22%) had experienced sexual intercourse; 74/157 (47) had experienced sexual contact (French kissing or other exciting contact); females (OR 2.4) and HC− (OR 9) more likely to have sexual contact | Questionnaire made for study | 82/157 (52%) satisfied with current sex life Gender: no significant difference HC: HC− twice as likely to be satisfied than HC+ |
| von Linstow35 |
SB*: 53 people (26 male, 27 female) mean age 27.1 yrs (range 18-25) LOL: 7/53 (13%) cervical, 16/53 (30%) thoracic, 30/53 (57%) lumbosacral Completeness of lesion: 5/53 (9%) complete, 48/53 (91%) incomplete HC Status: 38 HC+, 15 HC− |
Unknown | Questionnaire made for study | Sex life in last year described as: Total failure- 17/53 (32%) Dysfunctional- 10/53 (19%) Fairly functional- 13/53 (25%) Well-functioning- 13/53 (25%) Satisfaction with sex life: 25/53 (45%) satisfied 16/53 (30%) wish it was different but accept sex life 9/53 (17%) unhappy and wish it was different 4/53 (8%) unhappy and it affects whole life negatively -No difference: gender, HC, urinary continence -Significant difference: -Higher LOL associated with more dissatisfaction with sex life (57% C, 38% T, 10% LS dissatisfied) -Those in a relationship more satisfied (p=0.07) -Those with fecal continence more satisfied (p=0.022) |
Abbreviations: SB (spina bifida); yrs (years); HC (hydrocephalus); HC+ (with hydrocephalus); HC− (without hydrocephalus); LOL (level of lesion); MMC (myelomeningocele); SA (sexually active); WSFQ (Watts Sexual Function Questionnaire)
*
no further population description available