engleski

Sex life and self-esteem in adults with hemophilia

Introduction and Objectives: Although this is a very important aspect of life for every person, including persons with haemophilia, sexuality in this population is rarely investigated. The nature of haemophilia, especially its more severe forms, can definitely have an impact on people’s sex lives and there is a need to examine the characteristics of sexuality among persons with haemophilia. In this paper, we attempted to examine the characteristics of the sexual lives of persons with haemophilia in relation to disease severity, level of education, monthly income, followed by the level of their self-esteem. Methods: An empirical survey among adults with haemophilia was conducted in Croatia (N=135). Characteristics of their sex life were measured using 3 questions (How satisfied they are with their sex lives ; Whether they have a permanent sexual partner ; How often they have sexual intercourse). The level of self-esteem was measured using Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965). Results: The severity of haemophilia significantly reduces the frequency of sexual intercourse. Respondents with higher monthly incomes are more likely to have sexual intercourse and a permanent sexual partner, but at the same time there is no significant correlation between levels of income and sexual satisfaction in general. Levels of education did not show any significant association with any of the sexual life variables. Self-esteem is positively correlated with the frequency of sexual intercourse and sexual satisfaction in general, but is not connected to whether respondents have a permanent sexual partner or not. If we use all the variables of sexuality as a determinant of self-esteem in the regression analysis, then the sex life satisfaction variable is shown as the most significant predictor. Conclusion: Severity of the illness and economic stability, in contrast to levels of education, are linked with the sexual activity of persons with haemophilia. At the same time, the frequency of sexual intercourse is positively correlated with self-esteem, but the most important determinant of self-esteem of persons with haemophilia stems from the quality of sexual life, that is the compatibility between characteristics of sexual life and their own desires.

Sex life; Self-esteem; Adults with hemophilia

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