Sexual Activity and Factors Influencing the Sexual Adjustment in Men with Spinal Cord Injury

남성 척수손상 장애인의 성실태 및 성적응에 미치는 요인

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify sexual activities of males with spinal cord injury (SCI) and influential factors of sexual adjustment. Methods: A correlational survey was conducted among a total of 135 males with SCI. Results: After SCI, patients maintained low levels of sexual adjustment, and a main obstacle of sexual rehabilitation was decreased erectile function (65.2%). Sexual desires recovered in 84.4%, with 62.4% patients reporting more than once intercourse experiences. The erectile function of participants with normal, decreased or no erectile function were 13.0%, 62.6% and 24.4%, respectively. 8.1% of the participants reported no problem with ejaculation. Patients with incomplete SCI had better preserved erectile function than those with complete SCI (t=-4.627, p<.001). Patients with upper motor neuron injury had better preserved erectile function than those with lower motor neuron injury (t=2.446, p =.016). Sexual adjustment was relevant to age, job, degree of injury, post-injury period, sexual desire, intercourse experience, erection therapy, erectile function, and sexual health. Sexual adjustment was a factor of sexual health with a power of 24.2%. Conclusion: The main obstacle of sexual rehabilitation for males with SCI decreased erectile function. Erection and ejaculation are dependent on the severity and level of SCI. The major influence on sexual adjustment is sexual health.