Sexual and Reproductive Health Promotion Behaviour in Women with Spinal Cord Injury

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Table 20: Sexual and Reproductive Health Promotion Behaviour

Discussion

Schopp et al. (2002) investigated the effect of comprehensive gynecologic services on the health behaviour of women with SCI. The authors note a trend towards desired behavioural improvement in one outcome measured, namely, increased willingness to receive a mammogram. The other outcome measure (adoption of health–promoting behaviours) was not shown to change.

Conclusion

There is level 1 evidence (from 1 RCT; Sipski et al. 2000) that the use of sildenafil in women with SCI may be effective to partially reverse subjective sexual arousal difficulties.

There is level 2 evidence (from 1 weak RCT; Sipski et al. 2005) that supports the use of manual and vibratory clitoral stimulation to increase genital responsiveness in women with SCI.

There is level 4 evidence (Schopp et al. 2002) that suggests that comprehensive gynecologic services may improve women”s health behaviours.

• • Sildenafil may partially reverse subjective sexual arousal difficulties in women with SCI; however, larger scale studies are required to solidify this conclusion.

• • Manual and vibratory clitoral stimulation may increase genital responsiveness in women with SCI.

• Limited evidence exists that participation in a specialized women’s health clinic may lead to an increase in preventative gynecologic health care behaviours.