J Korean Acad Rehabil Med.  2000 Jun;24(3):469-476.

Evaluation of Sexual Function with Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory (DSFI) in Spinal Cord Injured Men

• Park CI
• Shin JC
• Kim DY
• Cho SR
• Kwak EH

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the current state of the psychological aspects for the sexual function in spinal cord injured (SCI) men and to provide a basis of sexual rehabilitation program. METHOD: Seventy-seven spinal cord injured men and 87 healthy adults participated and completed Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory (DSFI). This questionnaire consisted of 10 subtests such as sexual information, experience, drive, attitude, psychological symptoms, affect, gender role, sexual fantasy, body image, and sexual satisfaction.
RESULTS
Compared with healthy adults, SCI men had lower sexual experience, drive and satisfaction with a statistical significance (p<0.05). They also had more psychological distress symptoms, negative affect, and negative body image (p<0.05). There was no significant differences between tetraplegia and paraplegia, complete and incomplete injury, nor inpatient and outpatient. However, the SCI men with independent mobility had significantly greater sexual satisfaction, compared with the SCI men with dependent mobility (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Most SCI men had psychologic sexual dysfuctions as well as organic problems, especially among the married men with dependent mobility. We suggest that more aggressive intervention of sexual rehabilitation need to be provided for this group.

Keyword

Spinal cord injury (SCI); Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory (DSFI)

MeSH Terms

Adult
Body Image
Fantasy
Gender Identity
Humans
Inpatients
Male
Outpatients
Paraplegia
Quadriplegia
Surveys and Questionnaires
Rehabilitation
Spinal Cord*