Effect of sexual counseling on sexual function and sexual quality of life for women undergoing open heart surgery: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Sexual counseling can improve or may have benefit to patients' sexual function after open heart surgery. AIM: The study aims to determine the effect of sexual counseling on sexual function and quality of sexual life with the PLISSIT model (ie, permission, limited information, specific suggestions, intensive therapy) for women undergoing open heart surgery. METHODS: The study was a pilot randomized controlled trial. Seventy women who planned open heart surgery were randomly divided into the control group or the sexual counseling group between November 2020 and November 2021. In addition to routine care, sexual counseling with the PLISSIT model was given to women in the sexual counseling group for 12 weeks after the operation. During the research, 6 PLISSIT sessions were conducted. Women in the control group received routine postoperative care, which included hospital-provided postoperative home care practices (medication, nutrition, physical activity). OUTCOMES: Data were obtained with an information form, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Female Sexual Function Index, and the Sexual Quality of Life Questionnaire-Female. RESULTS: The women in the sexual counseling and control groups were similar in terms of sociodemographic, obstetric, gynecologic, general health, current heart disease, and sexual function data (P > .05). After sexual counseling with the PLISSIT model, scores on the Female Sexual Function Index and Sexual Quality of Life Questionnaire-Female significantly increased in the sexual counseling group while Beck Depression Inventory scores decreased (P < .05). Comparisons were made within and between groups. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Sexual counseling with the PLISSIT model is a useful and effective model for health professionals to improve the sexual function and sexual quality of life of women's who will undergo open heart surgery. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: The limitations of the study were as follows: only 1 assessment after the intervention ended, no short- or long-term follow-up, and a small sample size. Other limitations include the absence of controls for therapeutic context or positive expectations in the experimental group. CONCLUSION: Sexual counseling with the PLISSIT model after open heart surgery increased the sexual function and sexual quality of life of women while reducing the symptoms of depression.

Relationship between self-efficacy and sexual function after open heart surgery.

AIMS: The high level of self-efficacy that facilitates the adaptation of patients to their new lives and accelerates the healing process after open heart surgery has a positive effect on sexual function. The aims of the study are to examine the self-efficacy and sexual function of patients undergoing open heart surgery and factors affecting it. METHODS AND RESULTS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 76 patients (44 females, 32 males). The data were collected with an information form, Barnason Efficacy Expectation Scales (BEES): Cardiac Surgical Version, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), International Index of Erectile Dysfunction (IIEF), and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). The mean age of the patients was 63.12 ± 7.91. It was found that 30.3% of the patients (73.9% female and 26.1% male) were sexually inactive, and they did not receive information about sexual function. The mean BEES: Cardiac Surgical Version score was 43.96 ± 6.07. The mean IIEF score was 19.07 ± 26.0, and the mean FSFI score was 15.67 ± 9.12. There was a positive correlation between BEES: Cardiac Surgical Version and IIEF (r = 0.34; P = 0.00), and there was a negative correlation between BEES: Cardiac Surgical Version and FSFI (r = -0.27; P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: It was determined that patients did not have sufficient information about sexual life after open heart surgery. The patients had sexual problems after surgery. It was found that sexual function increased with increasing self-efficacy in men, while sexual function decreased with increasing self-efficacy in women.