engleski

Preliminary report of the multi-dimensional nature of sexual problems in multiple sclerosis patients

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, inflammatory, demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system that results in a wide range of clinical manifestations, including sexual dysfunction (SD). SD in MS patients may result a complex set of conditions and may be associated with multiple anatomic, physiologic, medical and psychological factors. Since MS primarily affects young people, SD secondary to MS may have a great impact on quality of life. The aim of this study was to determine the multi-dimensional nature of sexual problems in MS patients. In this research was analysed data on 20 MS patients, which included 9 women and 11 man (average 40.20±11.95 years) which underwent neurological care at Clinical Hospital Centre Osijek. The mean score of Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) was 3 (EDSS range 0-8). Our research problem was examined using the Multiple Sclerosis Intimacy and Sexuality Questionnaire-15 (MSISQ-15). MSISQ-15 includes three SD subscales: primary - MS related neurologic changes that may directly affect sexual feelings and/or sexual response ; secondary - MS related physical changes that affect the sexual response indirectly ; and tertiary - referred to the psychosocial and cultural aspects of MS that affect sexuality. The data was descriptively analysed and Chronbach’s α assessed internal consistency. Pearson r correlations were performed on the three subscales of the MSISQ-15. The level of significance was set to p<0.05. The means score for MSISQ-15 total scale, primary, secondary and tertiary subscales were 26.50±9.40, 9.65±4.49, 9.60±3.56 and 7.25±3.67, respectively. Cronbach’s α for the MSISQ-15 scale total score using the entire sample was 0.85, indicating high internal consistency. The Cronbach’s α for each of the subscales is as follows: primary, 0.79 ; secondary, 0.73 ; and tertiary, 0.81. The primary subscale was moderately correlated with the secondary subscale (r = 0.53). Similarly, the secondary and tertiary subscales were moderately correlated (r = 0.47). The total scale was highly correlated with the primary (r = 0.83), secondary (r = 0.81), and tertiary (r = 0.76) subscales. These results show that the MSISQ-15 subscales have a desirable pattern of correlations. They are associated with each other only moderately, and therefore measure distinct constructs.

multiple sclerosis ; sexual dysfunction ; MSISQ-15

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