Relationship Between Sexual Function, Health‐Promoting Behaviors, and Quality of Life in Female Patients With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Abstract

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a chronic progressive exacerbation of cardiopulmonary vascular disease. The patients' exercise endurance decreased progressively and the survival rate was low. Current basic therapy and targeted drug therapy can improve the quality of life (QoL) of PAH patients, but the long‐term efficacy and prognosis are not good. In this study, the female sexual function index (FSFI) scale, Health Promoting Life Style Profile (HPLPII), and emPHasis‐10 were used to evaluate PAH patients' sexual function, health‐promoting behaviors and QoL. Their correlation and the moderating effect of health promoting behavior were conducted. In total, 306 female patients responded. Age ranged from 18 to 69 years old and the mean age was (38.049 ± 10.686). The average score of sexual function in female PAH patients was (21.703 ± 8.947) points, and the detection rate of sexual dysfunction was 51.307%. The average score of health‐promoting behaviors and QoL was (121.915 ± 13.507) points and (17.992 ± 10.245) points respectively. QoL was significantly negatively correlated with sexual function and health‐promoting behaviors, while sexual function was significantly positively correlated with health‐promoting behaviors. The health‐promoting behaviors of female patients with PAH has a moderating effect between sexual function and QoL. The sexual function, health‐promoting behaviors and QoL of female PAH patients were all at an general level. Improving the level of health‐promoting behaviors could reduce the negative predictive effect of sexual function on QoL.