It is not just about sex: Viewpoints of men with inflammatory arthritis on the overall impact of the disease on their sexual health

Luis Fernando Perez-Garcia; Esther Röder; Hester Pastoor; Johanna M. Bolt; Job van Exel; Radboud J.E.M. Dolhain

doi:10.1136/rmdopen-2021-001821

It is not just about sex: Viewpoints of men with inflammatory arthritis on the overall impact of the disease on their sexual health

Luis Fernando Perez-Garcia^*, Esther Röder, Hester Pastoor, Johanna M. Bolt, Job van Exel, Radboud J.E.M. Dolhain

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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Abstract

Objectives Sexual health is defined as a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality. The impact of inflammatory arthritis (IA) on male sexual health has been mainly studied focusing on erectile function, one of the physical components of sexual health. Our objective was to describe the viewpoints among men with IA in the Netherlands on the overall impact of IA on their sexual health. Methods Q-methodology, a mixed methods approach to systematically study subjectivity was used. Adult men diagnosed with IA ranked 34 opinion statements about potential impacts of IA on their sexual health and were interviewed. By-person factor analysis was used to identify common patterns in the rankings, which were interpreted as viewpoints. Data from the interviews were used to verify and adjust the interpretations. Results 30 men (22-77 years) with IA were included. The analysis revealed three viewpoints. Men with the viewpoint â € Arthritis negatively affects my sexual health' experience a dramatic impact on all components of sexual health. In viewpoint â € I am keeping up appearances', IA negatively impacts sexual health but a distinguishing coping mechanism could mask a more serious negative impact. Men with the viewpoint â € I am satisfied with my sexual health'' experience no significant impact of IA on their sexual health. Conclusions We identified three viewpoints on the impact of IA on male sexual health, two revealed a negative influence that goes beyond the physical act of sex. IA can severely affect the emotional, mental and social components of sexual health.

Original language	English
Article number	e001821
Number of pages	10
Journal	RMD Open
Volume	7
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/rmdopen-2021-001821
Publication status	Published - 27 Sep 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by research grants from the Dutch Arthritis Foundation (ReumaNederland) (project number: 16-3-402), ZonMw (project number 849200009) and Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (CONACYT) (project number 601574). All are non-profit organisations.

Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

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10.1136/rmdopen-2021-001821

e001821.full

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@article{448650338f7a4bf1b0aefb7a8b307ecd,

title = "It is not just about sex: Viewpoints of men with inflammatory arthritis on the overall impact of the disease on their sexual health",

abstract = "Objectives Sexual health is defined as a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality. The impact of inflammatory arthritis (IA) on male sexual health has been mainly studied focusing on erectile function, one of the physical components of sexual health. Our objective was to describe the viewpoints among men with IA in the Netherlands on the overall impact of IA on their sexual health. Methods Q-methodology, a mixed methods approach to systematically study subjectivity was used. Adult men diagnosed with IA ranked 34 opinion statements about potential impacts of IA on their sexual health and were interviewed. By-person factor analysis was used to identify common patterns in the rankings, which were interpreted as viewpoints. Data from the interviews were used to verify and adjust the interpretations. Results 30 men (22-77 years) with IA were included. The analysis revealed three viewpoints. Men with the viewpoint {\^a} € Arthritis negatively affects my sexual health' experience a dramatic impact on all components of sexual health. In viewpoint {\^a} € I am keeping up appearances', IA negatively impacts sexual health but a distinguishing coping mechanism could mask a more serious negative impact. Men with the viewpoint {\^a} € I am satisfied with my sexual health'' experience no significant impact of IA on their sexual health. Conclusions We identified three viewpoints on the impact of IA on male sexual health, two revealed a negative influence that goes beyond the physical act of sex. IA can severely affect the emotional, mental and social components of sexual health.",

author = "Perez-Garcia, {Luis Fernando} and Esther R{\"o}der and Hester Pastoor and Bolt, {Johanna M.} and {van Exel}, Job and Dolhain, {Radboud J.E.M.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by research grants from the Dutch Arthritis Foundation (ReumaNederland) (project number: 16-3-402), ZonMw (project number 849200009) and Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (CONACYT) (project number 601574). All are non-profit organisations. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.",

year = "2021",

month = sep,

day = "27",

doi = "10.1136/rmdopen-2021-001821",

language = "English",

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AU - Röder, Esther

AU - Pastoor, Hester

AU - Bolt, Johanna M.

AU - van Exel, Job

AU - Dolhain, Radboud J.E.M.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by research grants from the Dutch Arthritis Foundation (ReumaNederland) (project number: 16-3-402), ZonMw (project number 849200009) and Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (CONACYT) (project number 601574). All are non-profit organisations. Publisher Copyright: © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

PY - 2021/9/27

Y1 - 2021/9/27

N2 - Objectives Sexual health is defined as a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality. The impact of inflammatory arthritis (IA) on male sexual health has been mainly studied focusing on erectile function, one of the physical components of sexual health. Our objective was to describe the viewpoints among men with IA in the Netherlands on the overall impact of IA on their sexual health. Methods Q-methodology, a mixed methods approach to systematically study subjectivity was used. Adult men diagnosed with IA ranked 34 opinion statements about potential impacts of IA on their sexual health and were interviewed. By-person factor analysis was used to identify common patterns in the rankings, which were interpreted as viewpoints. Data from the interviews were used to verify and adjust the interpretations. Results 30 men (22-77 years) with IA were included. The analysis revealed three viewpoints. Men with the viewpoint â € Arthritis negatively affects my sexual health' experience a dramatic impact on all components of sexual health. In viewpoint â € I am keeping up appearances', IA negatively impacts sexual health but a distinguishing coping mechanism could mask a more serious negative impact. Men with the viewpoint â € I am satisfied with my sexual health'' experience no significant impact of IA on their sexual health. Conclusions We identified three viewpoints on the impact of IA on male sexual health, two revealed a negative influence that goes beyond the physical act of sex. IA can severely affect the emotional, mental and social components of sexual health.

AB - Objectives Sexual health is defined as a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality. The impact of inflammatory arthritis (IA) on male sexual health has been mainly studied focusing on erectile function, one of the physical components of sexual health. Our objective was to describe the viewpoints among men with IA in the Netherlands on the overall impact of IA on their sexual health. Methods Q-methodology, a mixed methods approach to systematically study subjectivity was used. Adult men diagnosed with IA ranked 34 opinion statements about potential impacts of IA on their sexual health and were interviewed. By-person factor analysis was used to identify common patterns in the rankings, which were interpreted as viewpoints. Data from the interviews were used to verify and adjust the interpretations. Results 30 men (22-77 years) with IA were included. The analysis revealed three viewpoints. Men with the viewpoint â € Arthritis negatively affects my sexual health' experience a dramatic impact on all components of sexual health. In viewpoint â € I am keeping up appearances', IA negatively impacts sexual health but a distinguishing coping mechanism could mask a more serious negative impact. Men with the viewpoint â € I am satisfied with my sexual health'' experience no significant impact of IA on their sexual health. Conclusions We identified three viewpoints on the impact of IA on male sexual health, two revealed a negative influence that goes beyond the physical act of sex. IA can severely affect the emotional, mental and social components of sexual health.

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DO - 10.1136/rmdopen-2021-001821

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JO - RMD Open

JF - RMD Open

SN - 2056-5933

IS - 3

M1 - e001821

ER -

It is not just about sex: Viewpoints of men with inflammatory arthritis on the overall impact of the disease on their sexual health

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