Determination of sexual perceptions and sexual care needs of patients with TYPE 1 diabetes mellitus

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the sexual perceptions and sexual care needs of patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. Method: It is a mixed method research with parallel data type convergent design. The study population consisted of patients diagnosed with type 1 diabetes between August 2018 and April 2019 in Antalya Atatürk State Hospital and between January and April 2019 in Antalya Private Life Hospital Endocrinology and Metabolism outpatient clinic. Data were collected from eight volunteers by using Personal Information Form, Female Sexual Function Index Scale, Erectile Function International Evaluation Form and semi-structured interview form. N-Vivo10 and SPSS 23.0 were used for data evaluation. Results: 50% of the participants were male. All of the men had erectile dysfunction and 25% of women had sexual dysfunction. As a result of in-depth interview main themes of "meaning, difficulties in sexual life, barriers to professional support, help seeking behavior, sexual care advice" and sub themes of "need, source of happiness, place in life, physiological difficulties, psychological difficulties, difficulties in marriage processes, inability of the physical environment, lack of information, inability of the health care workers, hesitation about talking sexuality, orientation to alternative therapies, orientation to medical treatments, self-directedness, recommendations for health institutions, recommendations for alternative therapies, recommendations for sharing with other individuals. In addition, participants produced metaphors to define their sexuality before and after diabetes. Conclusion: İndividuals with type 1 diabetes face with physiological and psychological difficulties in their sexual lives. İn order to cope with these difficulties, they prefer individuals' solution rathen than getting professional support. In addition, patients desired that sexual issues should be integrated into standard diabetes care and sexual life should be supported by health care giver. Key words: type 1 diabetes mellitus, sexuality, diabetes and sexual life, qualitative research, nursing