SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION AND QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG PERSONS WITH EYE PROBLEMS VISITING ENGHI PRESBYTARIAN EYE CLINIC, IN WESTERN REGION, GHANA

Abstract

Sexuality is influenced among other things by the overall health status of an individual, and numerous medical conditions have been reported to disrupt human sexuality. The alteration of sexuality in this manner is likely to affect self-esteem, interpersonal relationships and overall sense of well-being, leading to a poor sexual quality of life (SQoL) and ultimately affecting quality of life (QoL). Conditions that present with physical pain or result in a poor body image of one's self are particularly risk factors for sexual dysfunction (SO), and eye defects are considered under these umbrella conditions. However, very few studies have focused on the possible link between eye defects, SO and Son. This cross-sectional study sought to determine the prevalence of SO, and its effect on SQoL of males and females presenting to an eye clinic in Ghana with cataract, glaucoma or uveitis. The Golombok Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS), as well as the Sexual Quality of Life questionnaires (SQoL-M and SQoL-F) were administered to 464 sexually active men and women aged between 18 and 77 years visiting the eye clinic of Enchi Presbyterian Health service in the Western region of Ghana, in 2013 with a response rate of 87.3%. The most prevalent eye defect was cataract (41.1 %), uveitis (39.0%), and glaucoma (19.9%). Sexual dysfunction was most prevalent among glaucoma patients (57.1 %)uveitis patients (56.4%), before cataract patients (53.4%). The prevalence of SO in the male populace was 55.7% and that of the female populace was 54.3%. Sexual dysfunction (SO) in males (55.7%) in the study was slightly higher than that of females (54.9%). Moreover, severe SO was found in more females (18.3%) than males (12.5%). Also, aging was found to correlate positively with impotence and avoidance of sex in males, and with vaginismus and avoidance in females. However, SQoL was generally good among the study participants, albeit more males had slightly good SQoL compared to females. Awareness as well as units should be created to address the sexual dysfunction and quality of life needs of the Ghanaian populace.