The aim of the present study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI; Rosen et al., 2000) and the Female Sexual Distress Scale (FSDS; Derogatis, Rosen, Leiblum, Burnett, & Heiman, 2002) within a Dutch population of approximately 350 women with and without sexual complaints. The main conclusions of this study are that the multidimensional structure of the FSFI and the unidimensional structure of the FSDS are fairly well replicated in a Dutch sample. The amount of variance explained by confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses was good. Internal consistency and stability of the FSFI and its subscales and the FSDS are satisfactory to good, and the subscales are reasonably stable across demographic variables. The discriminant validity and the ability of the scales to predict the presence or absence of sexual complaints was excellent. The convergent and divergent construct validity of the FSFI and the FSDS was good. These results support the reliability and psychometric validity of the FSFI and the FSDS in the assessment of dimensions of female sexual functioning and sexual distress in clinical and nonclinical samples.
Women with lifelong vaginismus (N=117) were randomly assigned to cognitive-behavioral group therapy, cognitive-behavioral bibliotherapy, or a waiting list. Manualized treatment comprised sexual education, relaxation exercises, gradual exposure, cognitive therapy, and sensate focus therapy. Group therapy consisted of ten 2-hr sessions with 6 to 9 participants per group. Assistance with minimal-contact bibliotherapy consisted of 6 biweekly, 15-min telephone contacts. Twenty-one percent of the participants left the study before posttreatment assessment. Intent-to-treat analysis revealed that successful intercourse at posttreatment was reported by 14% of the treated participants compared with none of the participants in the control condition. At the 12-month follow-up 21% of the group therapy participants and 15% of the bibliotherapy participants, respectively, reported successful intercourse. Cognitive-behavioral treatment of lifelong vaginismus was thus found to be efficacious, but the small effect size of the treatment warrants future efforts to improve the treatment.
Background: Short-term follow-up of COVID-19 patients reveals pulmonary dysfunction, myocardial damage and severe psychological distress. Little is known of the burden of these sequelae, and there are no clear recommendations for follow-up of COVID-19 patients. In this multi-disciplinary evaluation, cardiopulmonary function and psychological impairment after hospitalization for COVID-19 are mapped. Methods: We evaluated patients at our outpatient clinic 6 weeks after discharge. Cardiopulmonary function was measured by echocardiography, 24-hours ECG monitoring and pulmonary function testing. Psychological adjustment was measured using questionnaires and semi-structured clinical interviews. A comparison was made between patients admitted to the general ward and Intensive care unit (ICU), and between patients with a high versus low functional status. Findings: Eighty-one patients were included of whom 34 (41%) had been admitted to the ICU. New York Heart Association class II-III was present in 62% of the patients. Left ventricular function was normal in 78% of patients. ICU patients had a lower diffusion capacity (mean difference 12,5% P = 0.01), lower forced expiratory volume in one second and forced vital capacity (mean difference 14.9%; P<0.001; 15.4%; P<0.001; respectively). Risk of depression, anxiety and PTSD were 17%, 5% and 10% respectively and similar for both ICU and non-ICU patients. Interpretation: Overall, most patients suffered from functional limitations. Dyspnea on exertion was most frequently reported, possibly related to decreased DLCOc. This could be caused by pulmonary fibrosis, which should be investigated in long-term follow-up. In addition, mechanical ventilation, deconditioning, or pulmonary embolism may play an important role.
PurposeThe purpose of the study was to assess experiences with sexual dysfunctions, psychosexual support, and psychosexual healthcare needs among cervical cancer survivors (CCSs) and their partners.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with CCSs (n = 30) and their partners (n = 12).ResultsMany participants experienced one or more sexual dysfunctions often causing feelings of distress. Most participants reported having been asked about their sexual functioning, although attention for sexual functioning was often limited and medically oriented. Considering sexuality a taboo topic hampered some participants to seek help. Many participants desired information about treatment consequences for sexual functioning, practical advice on dealing with dysfunctions, and reassurance that it is common to experience sexual dysfunction. A website was generally considered a useful and accessible first resource for information about sexual functioning after cancer.ConclusionsSexual dysfunctions are often distressing. Many patients and partners experience psychosexual healthcare needs, but the provided information and care is generally limited. Psychosexual support should go beyond physical sexual functioning and should take aspects such as sexual distress, relationship satisfaction, and the partner perspective into account. Additionally, offering more practical and reassuring information about sexuality after cervical cancer would be valuable for both CCSs and their partners.
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