Dept of Health Sciences, Health Sciences Center, Lund University, Box 157, 221 00 Lund, Sweden.
BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2010 Oct 15;11:240. doi: 10.1186/1471-2474-11-240.
The ICF core sets for patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) acknowledge sexual function and intimate relationships as important since the patients' sexual health can be affected by the disease. About 36-70% of all RA-patients experience a reduced sexual health, and their perceived problems are directly or indirectly caused by their disease. Physiotherapy is often used as non-pharmacological treatment for RA. Mobility treatment, pain reduction, and physical activities are often included in physiotherapy for patients with RA. The aim of the study was to explore sexual health in relation to physiotherapy in women living with RA.
An explorative qualitative interview study with a phenomenological approach was performed. The study consisted of ten interviews with women with RA. The analysis was performed according to Giorgi.
The main theme that emerged in the material was that the body and the total life situation affected sexual health. Three categories were included in the theme: 1) sexual health - physical and psychological dimensions, 2) Impacts of RA, and 3) Possibilities to increase sexual health - does physiotherapy make a difference?
Sexual health was affected by RA in different ways for the informants. Possibilities to improve sexual health were improved partner communication and physiotherapy. Physiotherapy can play an active role in improving sexual health for patients with RA.
类风湿关节炎（RA）患者的国际功能、残疾和健康分类（ICF）核心组承认性功能和亲密关系很重要，因为患者的性健康可能会受到疾病的影响。大约 36-70%的 RA 患者的性健康会受到影响，他们感知到的问题直接或间接是由他们的疾病引起的。物理疗法通常被用作 RA 的非药物治疗。对于 RA 患者，运动治疗、减轻疼痛和体育活动通常包括在物理治疗中。本研究旨在探讨与女性 RA 患者的物理治疗相关的性健康问题。
采用现象学方法进行探索性定性访谈研究。该研究包括对 10 名 RA 女性患者进行访谈。分析按照 Giorgi 的方法进行。
研究材料中出现的主要主题是身体和整体生活状况影响了性健康。主题包括三个类别：1）性健康——身体和心理维度，2）RA 的影响，3）提高性健康的可能性——物理治疗有作用吗？
性健康因信息提供者的不同而受到 RA 的不同影响。改善性健康的可能性包括改善伴侣沟通和物理治疗。物理治疗可以在改善 RA 患者的性健康方面发挥积极作用。
