SEXUAL FUNCTIONS LEVEL OF WOMEN HAVING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND HEROIN USE DISORDER

Aim: This study was designed to determine the sexual functions level of women having multiple sclerosis (MS) and heroin use disorder. Materials and Methods: The study which was designed as comparative-descriptive and cross-sectional type was carried out in Bak？rk？y Mental Health and Neurological Diseases Training and Research Hospital between May 5, 2017 and December 31, 2017. The women who were diagnosed with MS and the substance use disorder in accordance with DSM-5 and who were 18 years old and over, had not psychiatric disease, substance withdrawal symptom and mental retardation disorder and who were sexually active, not pregnant or puerperant and who accepted to participate in the study, were included in the research. The 79 healthy female relatives of the female patients who applied to the gynecology outpatient clinic of the same hospital were also included to the healthy group at the same dates. Data were collected by using the interview form, Female Sexual Function Inventory (FSFI), Extended Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Findings: It was not determined any difference between the participants in the groups in terms of age, education time and economic status (p>0.05). According to the control group and women with MS, it was found that 76.1% of the women who used heroin were not satisfied with their sexual lives, whereas the weekly mean number of sexual intercourse of women having multiple sclerosis was significantly lower than the other groups (p>0.05). When compared to control and MS group, it was determined that women with heroin use disorder had significantly lower scores than the total and sub-dimensions of FSFI, such as desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain and had significantly higher scores than BDI (p<0.05). Conclusion: Sexual dysfunctions and depressive symptoms are more prevalent in women with MS and heroin use disorder than in the control group