title: Association between Sexual Function and Marital Relationship in Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) may report difficulties with sexual function and marital relationship. However, there is a dearth of studies focusing on the association between these aspects in IHD patients. The present study sought to assess the association between sexual function and marital relationship among IHD patients and also test the effect modification of gender, education level, and marital distress on the above association.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, 551 patients with IHD were enrolled and their sexual function and marital relationship quality were assessed with the Relation and Sexuality Scale (RSS) and Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS), respectively. Association between marital relationship quality and sexual function was assessed with respect to gender, education level, and marital distress.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most participants (72%) were men at a mean age of 57 ± 11 (range = 36-80) years. Total sexual function was significantly correlated with total marital quality (r = -0.28), marital consensus (r = -0.17), marital coherence (r = -0.19), marital affection expression (r = -0.22), and marital satisfaction (r = -0.25). Total marital quality also showed a significant association with sexual fear (r = -0.11). These associations were moderated by gender, education level, and marital distress level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among the IHD patients, sexual function and marital relationship quality showed a mild to moderate association. Association between sexual function and marital relationship quality, however, may depend on gender, education level, and marital distress level.
authors: Center for Research on Ethnicity, Culture and Health, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. ; Social Determinants of Health Research Centre, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Shervin
authors: S
authors: Assari
authors: Medicine and Health Promotion Institute, Tehran, Iran. ; Universal Network for Health Information Dissemination and Exchange (UNHIDE), Tehran, Iran.
authors: Maryam
authors: M
authors: Moghani Lankarani
authors: Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Khodabakhsh
authors: K
authors: Ahmadi
authors: Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Davoud
authors: D
authors: Kazemi Saleh
keywords: Coronary artery disease; Sexual behavior; Spouses