title: Sexual functioning and sexual well-being in people with a limb amputation: a cross-sectional study in the Netherlands.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to: (a) investigate whether, and if so which, sexual problems are present in people with a limb amputation; (b) analyze how they experience their sexuality; and (c) investigate whether sexuality was discussed with them during their rehabilitation process.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 301 participants completed a survey consisting of a questionnaire on participant characteristics, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Maudsley Marital Questionnaire (MMQ), the Amputee Body Image Scale (ABIS), the Questionnaire about Sexual Counselling, the Questionnaire about Sexuality and the Short Sexual Functioning Scale (SSFS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 20% of the participants experienced one or more sexual dysfunction(s). Participants who had at least one sexual dysfunction were more likely to be male, had an amputation more recently, and had a more negative body image. Moreover, sexuality was only scantly discussed by rehabilitation professionals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sexual problems and sexual dysfunctions do occur in people with a limb amputation, but these problems are not discussed during the rehabilitation process. Justice for a person's "whole body" can only be served when sexuality is taken seriously in rehabilitation care in order to avoid cutting sexuality out of an amputee's life. Implications for Rehabilitation People with a limb amputation may be confronted with sexual problems and/or sexual dysfunctions. It is therefore important that sexuality is taken seriously as a part of standard rehabilitation care and that professionals bring up the issue of sexuality during the rehabilitation process.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , Center for Rehabilitation, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen , The Netherlands .
authors.forename: Jesse E A
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Verschuren
authors.affiliation: a Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , Center for Rehabilitation, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen , The Netherlands .
authors.forename: Jan H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Geertzen
authors.affiliation: b Department of Neurosciences , Institute for Family and Sexuality Studies , KU Leuven , Belgium .|c Context - Center for Couple, Family and Sex Therapy , Department of Psychiatry , UPC KU Leuven , Belgium , and.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Enzlin
authors.affiliation: a Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , Center for Rehabilitation, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen , The Netherlands .|d Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery , University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Pieter U
authors.initials: PU
authors.lastname: Dijkstra
authors.affiliation: a Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , Center for Rehabilitation, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen , The Netherlands .
authors.forename: Rienk
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dekker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000674:Amputees / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001007:Anxiety; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D003376:Counseling; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009426:Netherlands; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012737:Sex Factors; D019529:Sexuality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Amputation; limb; sexual function; sexual well-being; sexuality