Sexual satisfaction and associated factors among patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Japan

Aim

This study aimed to identify sexual satisfaction and related factors in Japanese patients with inflammatory bowel disease, as well as the characteristics of patients who refrained from responding to the sexual satisfaction question.

Methods

A questionnaire survey was administered to 499 patients, of whom 492 were available for the analysis. Sexual satisfaction was measured using 5-point scale derived from “I am satisfied with my sex life” item in the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue. Patient characteristics (sex, age, marital status, and job status) were collected. Additionally, we obtained data from the scale regarding nonresponse to the sexual satisfaction, sleep deprivation status, emotional well-being, and fatigue subscales, and collected information on disease status from the medical records, including the partial Mayo Score and Crohn's Disease Activity Index.

Results

Regarding sex life satisfaction, the most common response was somewhat (24.8%). There were 173 (35.2%) patients who refrained from answering the sexual satisfaction question. Females and those of older age tended to avoid answering the question. Impaired sexual satisfaction was also significantly associated with older age, sleep deprivation, low emotional well-being subscale scores, and greater effects of fatigue.

Conclusion

Sexual satisfaction is related to chronic conditions in such areas as emotional well-being, fatigue, and sleep deprivation in inflammatory bowel disease patients, even when they are in remission. These results suggest that patients with inflammatory bowel disease are sometimes reluctant to talk about sex. Therefore, it is important for medical staff to consider this issue, especially in Japan.