Sexual Dysfunctions and Prevalence of Depression Among the Fertile Age Partners of Men With Bronchiectasis: How Do the Symptoms of the Disease Affect the Partners

Abstract

Introduction: Despite the numerous studies available on sexual disorders and psychological status in patients with chronic diseases, data regarding the sexual function and the psychological status of the patients' partners are insufficient. Aim: In this study we aimed to put forth the changes in sexual functions and psychological status in women caused by partners' symptoms such as productive cough and foul smelling sputum that accompany chronic disease in bronchiectasis patients. Methods: The study was conducted with fertile age partners of 41 male patients for whom an operation due to bronchiectasis was decided. The subjects were assessed using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) for sexual functions and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) for depression before and 1 year after the operations. Results: It was found that 24.4% of the women had exhibited severe depression symptoms according to BDI, and the number of the patients with severe depression was found to decrease to 4.9% after their spouses became asymptomatic in the postoperative period (p=0.001). In the assessment of cases with FSFI, while the scores indicating sexual dysfunction wereobtained in the preoperative period, these values were found to improve significantly in the postoperative period (p=0.001). Conclusion: In this study we have seen that the health problems of the partners caused significant alterations in sexual functions and mood of the women, and it was concluded that increasing the level and maintaining the health of the partners is essential for improvement of the quality of sexual and psychological health of women.