The relationship between sexual satisfaction and quality of life in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Background and Objective: Acute coronary syndrome as one of the leading causes of death in the world, have several physical, psychological and social consequences. These consequences have impact on quality of life and sexual satisfaction of patients. Despite numerous studies, contradictory findings have been reported concerning the relationship between sexual satisfaction and quality of life in these patients. The current study was conducted aimed to determine the relationship between sexual satisfaction and quality of life in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

 Materials and Method: This Descriptive-correlational study was performed on patients with acute coronary syndrome hospitalized in the coronary angiography ward in a hospital in Kashan University of Medical Sciences in 2014. Three hundred patients were selected and entered into the study through purposive sampling. Data collection was done through using the demographic and clinical data questionnaire, SF-36 quality of life questionnaire and Larson's sexual satisfaction questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS 13 and central indexes, independent T-test, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation test and linear regression analysis.

 Results: Patients had high sexual satisfaction (101.19 ± 15.02) and average quality of life (56.3 ± 17.15). There was significant positive correlation between sexual satisfaction of patients with quality of life (P = 0.001), it’s physical (P = 0.018) and psychological (P = 0.001) aspects.

 Conclusion: There is relationship between sexual satisfaction with the quality of life in patients with acute coronary syndrome, therefore it is recommended that nurses must pay attention to education concerning the sexual relationship and physical and psychological support in patients with low rejection fraction.