Factors associated with intimacy and sexuality among young women with multiple sclerosis

• Published in: Reproductive health 2020-07, Vol.17 (1), p.110-6, Article 110
• Main Authors: Mohammadi, Khadijeh, Rahnama, Parvin, Rafei, Zahra, Ebrahimi-Aveh, Seyedeh Mitra, Montazeri, Ali
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Age; Ambulatory care facilities; Analysis; Antidepressants; Cross-Sectional Studies; Education; Employment; Female; Humans; Influence; Intimacy; Iran - epidemiology; Medical research; Mental Health; Middle Aged; Multiple sclerosis; Multiple Sclerosis - complications; Multiple Sclerosis - epidemiology; Multiple Sclerosis - psychology; Multiple sclerosis intimacy and sexuality Questionnaire-19 (MSISQ-19); Personal Satisfaction; Physiological aspects; Psychometrics; Questionnaires; Regression analysis; Reproducibility of Results; Reproductive health; Sexual Behavior - psychology; Sexual disorders; Sexual dysfunction; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological - diagnosis; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological - epidemiology; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological - etiology; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological - physiopathology; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological - diagnosis; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological - epidemiology; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological - physiopathology; Sexuality; Socioeconomic Factors; Statistical analysis; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teaching hospitals; Variables; Womens health; Young women
• ISSN: 1742-4755; 1742-4755
• DOI: 10.1186/s12978-020-00960-5

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) especially those with younger age experience an alteration in physiological and emotional lifestyle that can affect intimacy and sexuality. The aim of this study was to determine demographic and disease related determinants of intimacy and sexuality in young women with MS. This was a cross sectional study carried out in Tehran, Iran. A convenience sample of young women aged ≤35 years old with MS attending to outpatient clinics in a teaching hospital affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences was entered into the study. The Multiple Sclerosis Intimacy and Sexuality Questionnaire-19 (MSISQ-19) was used to evaluate how the disease influences sexual function and satisfaction in these patients. Multivariable analysis using hierarchical method was performed to identify variables that are associated with intimacy and sexuality. In total 117 young women with confirmed diagnosis of MS were included in the study. Participants mean was 25.7 (SD = 8.07) years. A multivariable hierarchical regression analysis was performed using demographic variables entered in step one, relevant neurological variables in step two, and psychological variables in step three. Furthermore, we loaded antidepressant use in the last step. Overall, the seven variables accounted for 39% of total variance observed for the MSISQ score (P