Having several immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) was associated with a greater impact on sexual health, with participants with multiple IMIDs reporting a higher prevalence of difficulties than those with only one IMID.
Having multiple IMIDs was associated with greater impact on sexual health compared to having a single IMID.
Sexual health difficulties in IMID patients encompassed both disease-related challenges and difficulties in interactions with intimate partners and health professionals.
There is an identified need to optimize communication and support regarding intimacy and sexual health within healthcare settings, particularly for patients with multiple IMIDs.
Patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases attending outpatient clinics experienced undermined sexual health related to their conditions.
This research suggests that people living with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) — a group of conditions including psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa, psoriatic arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis — frequently experience negative effects on their sexual health and intimate relationships. The study recruited 142 patients from outpatient clinics and used both surveys and in-depth interviews to understand how these diseases affect intimacy and sexual wellbeing, as well as how patients communicate about these issues with their partners and healthcare providers. A key finding was that patients dealing with more than one of these conditions at the same time reported more sexual health difficulties than those with just one condition. This suggests that the burden on sexual wellbeing compounds as the number of diagnoses increases, pointing to a particularly vulnerable group that may need additional support. This research suggests there is a significant gap in how healthcare settings address sexual health for people with these chronic inflammatory conditions. Patients may not be receiving adequate communication or support around intimacy and sexual health from their healthcare teams, particularly those managing multiple diagnoses. The authors conclude that improving how clinicians engage with patients on these sensitive topics could be an important step toward more holistic care for people living with IMIDs.
Møller L, Edelbo R, Bager P. (2025). Addressing sexual health among patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.. British journal of nursing (Mark Allen Publishing). https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2023.0271