People who are ill or disabled have the same sexual needs and desires as everyone else. In the past, these needs have too often been neglected, not because the disabled them­selves were not interested in sexuality but because physicians and other healthcare pro­fessionals were uncomfortable learning about their sexual needs and discussing these needs with […]

People with psychiatric disorders have sexual fantasies, needs, and feelings, and they have the same right to a fulfilling sexual expression as do others. However, historically they have either been treated as asexual, or their sexuality has been viewed as illegiti- mate, warped, or needing external control (Apfel & Handel, 1993). Yet a sudden or […]

In other chapters we discussed the influence that AIDS has had on the sexual behaviors and attitudes of people in the United States. Because HIV can be passed to others through sexual activity, millions of Americans have changed their sexual lifestyles to include safer sex practices. But what of those who discover that they are […]

The spinal cord brings impulses from the brain to the various parts of the body; damage to the cord can cut off those impulses in any areas served by nerves below the damaged section. Therefore, to assess the dysfunctions that result from a spinal cord injury (SCI; or a spinal tumor), a physician must know […]

Alcohol is the most common type of chemical dependency in the United States and western Europe; about one-third of American families have at least one problem drinker in the family, and alcohol is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Ethyl alcohol is a general nervous system depressant that has both long […]

Multiple sclerosis (MS) involves a breakdown of the myelin sheath that protects all nerve fibers, and it can be manifested in a variety of symptoms, such as dizziness, weak­ness, blurred or double vision, muscle spasms, spasticity, and loss of control of limbs and muscles. Symptoms can come and go without warning, but MS is progressive […]

Many people born with chronic diseases, or those who develop them later in life, suffer for many years with their condition. They must learn to make adjustments in many parts of their lives, including their sexual behaviors. Chronic pain from illnesses such as arthritis, migraine headaches, and lower back pain can make intercourse difficult or […]

Cancer of the penis or scrotum is rare, and cancer of the testes is only slightly more com­mon. Still, the sexual problems that result from these diseases are similar to those from prostate cancer. Testicular cancer is most common in men who are in their most pro­ductive years. Research has found that although sexual problems […]

Almost all men will experience a normal enlargement of the prostate gland if they live long enough (see Chapter 5). Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men over 50. When prostate cancer is diagnosed or if the normal enlargement of the prostate progresses to the point at which it affects urination, […]