Sexual information needs of Arab-Muslim patients with cardiac problems

Abstract

Cardiac diseases have direct and indirect effects on sexuality. Health care providers, especially nurses, have a major responsibility in addressing and discussing sexual concerns and providing sexual counseling needs for patients with cardiac diseases. Discussing sexual issues in Arabic Muslim countries is considered a taboo. Lack of information about sexual life can affect the quality of life for patients with cardiac diseases. In this study, concerns regarding counseling needs and sexual information pertaining to Jordanian patients with cardiac diseases are addressed. Non-experimental, cross-sectional, descriptive designs were employed, accompanied by a self-report questionnaire, as well as a structured interview using the Steinke Sexual Concerns and Sexual Activity questionnaires for cardiac patients. A convenient sample of Jordanian male and female patients with cardiac problems was recruited. Results revealed that only 11% of the participants with cardiac diseases reported receiving information regarding sexual life following cardiac-related events. Most patients (71%, F=81) preferred cardiologists to provide them with sexual information, and almost two-thirds of them (62%, F=75) considered nurses' gender to be a barrier, preventing them from inquiring about their sexual life. Patients with cardiac diseases had sexual concerns, but none of incredible importance. However, most patients (76%, F=94) reported changes in sexual activities following cardiac-related events. Cardiac patients had sexual concerns and sexual counseling needs that they would not discuss. Health care professionals should arrange sexual counseling plans with the patient; as every patient has individual, specific, and unique sexual counseling needs, dependent upon their lifestyle, health conditions, and their type of cardiac disease.

Nurses’ attitudes, beliefs and practices on sexuality for cardiovascular care: A cross‐sectional study

“…Our findings have also suggested that many nurses thought patients were too sick to have an interest in sexual activity and that patients would not want to discuss sexual concerns. Previous studies have shown that CVD patients have preferred to receive information about sexuality from health professionals (Abramsohn et al., ; Akhu‐Zaheya & Masadeh, ). However, patients have reported that they have not been informed regarding sexuality after a cardiovascular event (Rundblad et al., ).…”

Barriers and Promoting Strategies to Sexual Health Assessment for Patients with Coronary Artery Diseases in Nursing Practice: A Literature Review

“…For example, according to Jaarsma and colleagues; results showed that only 10% of nurses address patients' sexual health concerns [24]. In Jordan, the same percentage of patients with heart diseases did receive sexual health related assessment and instructions [20].…”

“…About half (46%) of 382 patients with CADs in six rehabilitation centers reported sexual problems [19]. In one study conducted in Jordan (N = 124), about three quarters of patients with heart diseases reported that their sexual health is being altered [20].…”

Sexual function of patients with heart failure: facts and numbers

“…This information needs to be adapted to the personal situation of patients, sexual preferences, and culture 30, 31. One of the approaches that can be used to guide health professionals in determining needs of patients and in providing information related to sexuality is the so‐called PLISSIT model32 ( Figure  2).…”