J Nurs Acad Soc.  1989 Aug;19(2):160-172.

An Analytic Study on Influencing Factors for Sexual Satisfaction in Women Who have had a Hysterectomy

• Chang SB

Abstract

This research was done to clarify the factors related to sexual satifaction in women who have had a hyste rectomy, and to idenify which factors had statistically significant influence of sexual satisfaction of the subjects. The objective of this study was to identify the variables related to sexual adaptation which might be changed by nursing intervention. This was a cross-sectional descriptive correlation study. There were 230 subjects in the study, and they were selected by a convenient sampling method. The tool for this study was developed by the researcher through modification of the Dergatis Sexual Function Inventory (DSFI). A pilot study was done to determine the necessary modifications. Data collection was done between Sept. 1987 and Dec. 1987 using a mailed questionnaire. The characteristics of the subjects were as follows : The mean age of the subjects was 42.3 years and 204(87.4 %) of the subjects had nine or more years of education. The mean income of the subjects was 85.8870 won / month, and 179(77 %) of them were housewives. ? The mean number of pregnancies and children were 4.9 and 2.5 respectively. ? Oophorectomies were included in the surgery for 66(28.7%) of the subjects. Only 12(5.2%) were planning to have more children. ? Only 88(38.3%) of the subjects had received information prior to the surgery regarding health problems related to the operation and less than half, 111(48.3%), had received this kind of information before discharge. ? Lay persons were the source of information about the post-operation status for 196(85.2%) of the subjects, but the content of the information did not significantly influence the sexual satisfaction score. Only 16(7.0 %) of the subjects said they regretted having a hysterctomy while 102(44.3%) said they were pleased to have had a hysterectomy. ? Ninety(39.1 %) of the subjects reported that their husbands had "stress" and 164(71.3%) of the subjects reported "stress". The results of this study are summarized as follows: 1. The mean score for sexual satisfaction of the subjects was 34.24 with a possible maximum score of 50.00. Eighty two (35.8 %) were responded that they were satisfied with their sexual life but 61 (26.5%) were responded that they were dissatisfied with their sexual life 2. The following 15 factors extracted from the results of the data analysis were significantly related to sexual satisfaction (p<.05) : support of husband, body image, emotion, knowledge of sex, menop ausal symptoms, sexual behavior, the feelings the subjects had about the hysterectomy, stress for both subject and husband, the number of children, health information given before operation, job, age, level of education and income. The five most important factors influencing sexual satisfaction were identified by using stepwise multiple regression analysis. The most important factor was support of husband, which explained 17.83 % of the total variance. The remaining factors in order of significance were : Knowledge of sex, income, job, and emotional status. Those five factors explained 35.16% of the sexual satisfaction. In conclusion, for the care of women who are going to be discharged from hospital after having had a hysterctomy, nurses have to work with the husbands to help them to understand the importance of their support. Nurses also need to make sure that the subjects have an adequeate knowledge of sexual life after a hysterectomy. Also nursing interventions should focus on subjects who do not have a job, who are of low economic status, and the subjects who are under the unpleasant mood.

MeSH Terms

Adult
Female
Humans
Hysterectomy/*psychology
Interpersonal Relations
Male
*Sexual Behavior