Sexual health and diabetes - key issues for nurses
Sexual dysfunction
Sex is an important part of life and relationships, however diabetes can affect both men and women in different ways. Around 50 per cent of men with diabetes and 25 per cent of women with diabetes will experience some kind of sexual problems or loss of sexual desire as a result of their condition. However, keeping blood glucose at recommended levels will help to prevent this happening in later life, (Diabetes UK, 2011).
Sexual health problems for men and women with diabetes can include:
- Erectile dysfunction (impotence)
- Low testosterone levels
- Libido
- Bladder problems
- Urinary tract infections
- Damage to the nervous system
- Decreased vaginal lubrication and loss of sensation
- Dyspareunia (pain with intercourse)
- Loss of desire, arousal and orgasm.
Diabetes and sexual health is a complex issue and isn’t always physical. The mind can also influence libido, sexual response and emotional health.
Sexual health risk factors
Several factors may increase the risk of sexual health problems for people with diabetes, including:
- Poor blood glucose control
- High levels of cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Being overweight
- A persons age (over 40)
- High cholesterol levels
- Alcohol intake
- Smoking.
These risk factors to sexual health can be controlled and or reduced with close blood glucose monitoring, regular exercise, eating a balanced diet, stopping smoking and relaxation techniques, such as yoga or T'ai Chi. Further information is available on the Diabetes UK web page Getting further help.
Nurses and diabetes care
It is important for sexual health advice to be integrated into diabetes healthcare services. Erectile dysfunction and female sexual dysfunction may be an indication of undiagnosed diabetes or an indicator of a complication of diabetes. It is therefore important that healthcare professionals are aware of the possibility of the problem and are confident to initiate a consultation about it.
Sexuality and sexual health issues need to be handled with sensitivity. Sometimes they are such difficult topics for nurses and health care assistants to manage that it can be hard for patients and clients to share their most intimate health needs. The RCN Learning Zone’s ‘Sexual health for non-experts’ learning area will help you to increase your knowledge about sexual health issues, and to develop the skills and attitudes you need to help patients and clients. Visit Sexual health for non-experts.
Patient stories
Personal stories enable patients, families, carers and health care professionals to benefit from the experiences of others. Diabetes UK has a selection of personal stories of people who have experienced sexual dysfunction. View How it affects me.
References
Full details of the bracketed citations in the text above and, in many cases, links to the actual documents are available in the reference list within this resource. Go to the Reference list.
For more information go to sexual health.