Depressive Symptoms and Sexual Dysfunction in Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

Association Between Depressive Symptoms and Sexual Dysfunction in Men With Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

Aims: assess the relationship between sexual function and depressive symptoms in individuals with spinal cord injury.

Method: Observational study of 44 men with spinal cord injury, age above 18 years, injury time more than six months, sexually active and accompanied in Recife referral hospitals. The degree of neurological impairment was assessed using the revised version in 2011 ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS), depressive symptoms were detected by the Beck Depression Inventory, and the evaluation of sexual function was obtained through the Erectile Function of International Index (IIEF). Descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis to assess the association were applied, with 0,05 significance level.

Inclusion Criteria:

• clinical diagnosis of traumatic spinal cord injury
• injury time less than six months
• sexually active

Exclusion Criteria:

• patients who had erectile dysfunction attributed to endocrine or metabolic disease order
• those who underwent surgery in the genital area, such as radical prostatectomy or penile implant
• cognitive impairment