(64) INTEGRATION OF THE PSYCHO-SEXOLOGICAL ASPECTS IN THE MEDICAL TREATMENT OF A PERSON WITH SYPHILIS INFECTION Free

Syphilis bears the image of a great sexually transmitted disease. Sexual health of the infected person may be affected. Yet, no study explored this aspect. The aim of the present research is to investigate the sexological impact of syphilis in order to improve our knowledge on this aspect, and consequently, to improve the quality of care for our patients and messages on prevention.

43 patients, with confirmed syphilis were recruited at the venerology consultation of University Hospital of Geneva. They had to participate in a two-step experiment. First, they had to fill in questionnaires concerning their sexual function. Participants were then invited to discuss with the psycho-sexologist during a semi structured interview, to collect detailed qualitative data on the way they experienced their infection sexologically. The study was accepted in the local ethical committee.

All the patients full filled the questionnaires. 8 women and 35 men, aged from 20 to 57 (39.12±10.56) were included. 13/43 were co-infected with HIV.

The results showed that 25/43 (58.1 %) of the patients reported a negative impact of syphilis on sexual life: blockage feeling for a new sexual intercourse, lack of sexual desire, loss of confidence in the actual and or future sexual partners. We also noted changes in sexual practices for 20/43 (46.51%) of the patients, with safer sex or abstinence, but all these changes only lasted for the duration of the treatment. However, results revealed that only 7/43 of the patients (16.3%) reported a short-term impact of syphilis on mental health, and especially feeling of anxiety, limited to the announcement of the diagnosis.

Because there is a short term impact of syphilis on the sexual sphere of the patients, offering an urgent sexological counselling during the early treatment phase will allow better resilience of people encountering sexual difficulties.

no conflicts of interest.