The impact of stroke on female sexuality

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of stroke on female sexuality from the perspective of women who have had a stroke.

Method: A descriptive qualitative study. Nine female stroke survivors living in metropolitan and surrounding districts of Sydney, Australia took part in semi-structured conversational interviews. The mean length of time from stroke onset to interview was around 6 years and 2 months (range 1 year, 2 months to 15 years, 9 months). The interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed. The transcripts were systematically analysed using inductive thematic analysis.

Results: The women experienced many and varied bodily alterations as a consequence of stroke which impacted negatively on their sexuality. These bodily alterations impacted on female sexuality in two ways: one was as an assault on the female sense of self and the other was by limiting possibilities for enacting female sexuality.

Conclusion: Stroke impacts on female sexuality through bodily alterations and their consequences and because sexuality is important to female stroke survivors, it should be addressed as part of person-centred rehabilitation. Implications for Rehabilitation Sexuality is about much more than just "having sex" and is important to female stroke survivors. Stroke impacts on female sexuality through bodily alterations and their consequences. Understanding the impact of stroke on female sexuality is a step towards more person-centred rehabilitation.

Keywords: Australia; Sexual dysfunction; biographical adjustment; female sexuality; self-concept; stroke.