From the Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse VA Medical Center, Syracuse, NY (RLS, LDM, JSF); Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY (RLS, LDM, JSF); Rochester Institute of Technology, Institute of Health Sciences and Technology, Rochester, NY (NT, CAC); Canandaigua Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Canandaigua, NY (CAC); Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention, Canandaigua VA Medical Center, Canandaigua, NY (DC); and the Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York (JSF).
J Am Board Fam Med. 2021 Mar-Apr;34(2):357-367. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2021.02.200326.
Sexual health is an important, yet often overlooked, aspect of overall health. Veterans may be particularly at risk for sexual dysfunction. The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence and correlates of sexual dysfunction and examine preferences among veterans for discussing sexual problems.
In this cross-sectional study, we mailed 1500 surveys to a random sample of primary care patients from 3 Veterans Affairs medical centers; 313 were returned (21% response rate) and 248 had complete data. Veterans (M age = 49.4 years) were mostly White (86.7%), women (60.9%), and married (79.0%). The Arizona Sexual Experience Scale was used to screen for sexual dysfunction.
Half of veterans, 62.3% of women and 32.0% of men, screened positive for sexual dysfunction. More than 60% of veterans agreed that the primary care team should provide information, proactively ask, and inquire on medical history forms about sexual problems; 59.3% were open to meeting with behavioral health providers.
Primary care providers should ask veterans about sexual health, as sexual dysfunction was prevalent, especially among women and among men over age 65. Most veterans were receptive to being asked about sexual problems in primary care and preferred to be asked rather than bring it up.
性健康是整体健康的一个重要但往往被忽视的方面。退伍军人可能特别容易出现性功能障碍。本研究的目的是评估性功能障碍的患病率和相关因素，并探讨退伍军人对讨论性问题的偏好。
在这项横断面研究中，我们向 3 家退伍军人事务医疗中心的初级保健患者随机样本邮寄了 1500 份调查问卷；有 313 份被退回（21%的回复率），其中 248 份有完整数据。退伍军人（平均年龄=49.4 岁）主要为白人（86.7%）、女性（60.9%）和已婚（79.0%）。使用亚利桑那性体验量表筛查性功能障碍。
一半的退伍军人（62.3%的女性和 32.0%的男性）筛查出性功能障碍。超过 60%的退伍军人认为初级保健团队应该提供信息，主动询问，并在医疗记录表格上询问有关性问题；59.3%的人愿意与行为健康提供者会面。
初级保健提供者应该询问退伍军人的性健康状况，因为性功能障碍很普遍，尤其是在女性和 65 岁以上的男性中。大多数退伍军人愿意在初级保健中被问及性问题，而不是主动提及。
