Joel Gitui Oenga
Background: Sexual dysfunction is one of the social challenges that devastate many people among them cancer patients, but which is considered non-medical and often disregarded. Chemotherapeutics used in cancer patients are among potential risk factors for development of SD and such understanding can lead to numerous interventions to bypass their effects on sexual life.
Objective: The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence, classifications and factors associated with sexual dysfunctions among cancer patients on chemotherapy.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 214 cancer patients at the Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital in south western Uganda for a period of 3 months from August to October 2023. A systematic sampling technique was employed in the study; questionnaire was used to collect patient data. Standardized FSFI and IIEF were used to classify types of sexual dysfunctions among women and men respectively. SD factors associated were analyzed by logistic regression using stata version 17.
Results: Two hundred and fourteen participants were enrolled with a median age of 50; overall 42.06% of patients (54.33 % of males and 24.14% of females) experienced at least one domain of sexual dysfunction. At presentation majority of men reported overall sexual dissatisfaction, erectile dysfunction, anorgasmia. While majority of female reported decreased sexual desire, reduced arousal and dyspareunia. In the multivariate logistic regression of risk factors for sexual dysfunctions, being female (aOR 3.99, 95% CI 1.93, 8.25; p value <0.000), Gastro intestinal cancers (aOR 3.46, 95% CI 1.34-8.93; p value <0.010) and anthracyclines (aOR 4.26, 95% CI 1.02, 17.76; p value <0.047) were statistically significant independent risk factors of sexual dysfunctions.
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that there is a high prevalence of sexual dysfunctions among cancer patients at the MRRH. In male overall sexual dissatisfaction is the most prevalent while decreased sexual desire is prevalent in female. Early screening should be encouraged among all gender, all type of cancer, and patients receiving chemotherapies.
Key words: anorgasmia, dyspareunia, erectile dysfunction, anthracyclines, and chemotherapy