Focussing on SCD, this study’s objective was to assess adolescents’ sexual health experience in the context of their chronic illness.
We included teenagers from 14 to 19 years old followed for SCD in a hospital located in Créteil from March 2017 to February 2018. A self-questionnaire assessed Their sexual health experience with three key themes: contraceptive expertise, awareness of sexuality with chronic disease, and information on the genetic transmission of the disease.
Ninety-nine questionnaires were analyzed. Only six SCD adolescents reported being sexually active. Despite a very regular follow-up of their illness, only 13% of the boys and girls had received information on contraception at the hospital. Most adolescents (85% of boys and 81% of girls) did not think that the disease would interfere with sexual intercourse. The genetic pattern was well known (85% of boys and 87% of girls).
The study concluded that young people with SCD need more information on contraception. Clinicians caring for them should be aware of the need for sexual health information to propose prevention actions adapted to these young people with chronic disease.
Reference: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13625187.2020.1774868
