title: Is sexuality a problem? A follow-up of patients with severe burns 6 months to 7 years after injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This is the first study investigating sexuality from 6 months up to 7 years after burn. The aim was to examine sexuality in females and males by using the BSHS-B sexuality subscale and to examine possible contributing factors with regard to sociodemographics, burn characteristics, personality traits, and previous psychiatric disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cohort of 107 patients consecutively admitted to a Swedish national burn center was followed up at 6, 12, and 24 months after burn, and 67 individuals were followed up at 2-7 years after burn. The present study utilized the BSHS-B sexuality subscale, and multiple regression analyses were used to examine possible contributing factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women were less satisfied than men, and sexuality mean scores improved over time, even up to 7 years after-burn, in both men and women. The strongest contributing factors for worse outcome regarding sexuality were a history of psychiatric morbidity, neuroticism and burn severity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As some patients experience sexual problems after burns, even many years later, it is important to identify these individuals. The BSHS-B sexuality subscale may be used as a screening tool, but more in-depth assessment might be needed to address all aspects of sexuality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Öster
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: Josefin.Sveen@neuro.uu.se.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sveen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002053:Burn Units; D002056:Burns / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D019529:Sexuality / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology; D013548:Sweden; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Burn; Burn Specific Health Scale-Brief; Mental disorders; Neuroticism; Sexuality