Sexual Health After a Stroke: A Topical Review and Recommendations for Health Care Professionals

The devastating physical, emotional, and social effects of stroke can disrupt all aspects of life for the stroke survivor. Ensuring that survivor and caregiver needs are met after a stroke is essential in ongoing care to ensure optimal quality of life. Despite health care professionals making significant strides in poststroke symptom management, education, and rehabilitative support, the common poststroke symptom of sexual dysfunction is rarely addressed. Multiple barriers across health care settings and systems have contributed to this gap. The purpose of this article is to provide evidence that supports the importance of addressing sexual health by health care providers with the stroke survivor and their partner as they transition through the recovery process. We have the following recommendations to optimize care and quality of life for stroke survivors: (1) comprehensive sex education must include information on healthy sex and sexuality for people with neurological disabilities; (2) rehabilitation programs offered in postacute settings should include a structured culturally sensitive interprofessional sexual rehabilitation component that addresses sexuality of the stroke survivor in collaboration with their intimate partners; (3) sexual rehabilitation programs should be tailored for each person based on a thorough assessment of the person’s health literacy and learning needs; and (4) the American Heart Association should develop an extensive toolkit for health care providers and survivors that is easily and readily available to the public. Health care providers, survivors, and their partners have a stake in optimal stroke recovery. Sexuality and sexual function are important quality of life indicators thus conversations addressing issues must be included as part of the recovery process. This discussion is best initiated by a health care provider to address system barriers and misconceptions across care transitions. Likewise, survivors and their partners must be encouraged to take ownership to address sexuality issues and initiate the conversation with their health care partners to achieve full recovery.