Prevalence and Risk Factors of Sexual Dysfunction in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure in Yaoundé, Cameroon

Heart failure is a major public health problem in sub Saharan Africa, associated with high morbidity and mortality. Sexual dysfunction contributes a lot to the burden of the disease. This complication is linked to the side effects of drugs, physical and psychological factors, and the coexistence of shared risk factors between heart failure and sexual dysfunction. Although patients with heart failure frequently report sexual disorders, few data are available in our context. This research seeks to determine the prevalence and risk factors of sexual dysfunction in patients with chronic heart failure in three reference hospitals of Cameroon. We carried out an analytical cross-sectional study over a period of four months (January to April 2018). All consenting patient with chronic heart failure aged 18 years and above were selected. Baseline socio-demographical and clinical characteristics were collected. The assessment of sexual function was made using a self-administered questionnaire. Data analysis was done using the software IBM SPSS 23.0; the level of statistical significance was set at p 60 years (p=0.001), hypertension (p=0.0017), use of beta blockers (p=0.0081) and fear of heart attack (p<0,001). Sexual dysfunction is common in patients with chronic heart failure in our context. Indeed, it affects more than half of our study population (57.7%) and is influenced by many factors.