Sexuality after spinal cord injury: the Greek male's perspective

This study explored how Greek men with spinal cord injury experience sexuality.

Six men with spinal cord injury acted as key informants and data collection consisted of in-depth unstructured interviews, field notes, and a reflective log. The transcribed interviews were analyzed thematically.

The themes that emerged were: Barriers, Metamorphoses, and Enjoying. Sexuality was important in the life of the informants and they were engaged in various patterns of adaptation. Rather than impairment as such, certain social beliefs and values prevalent in Greek society were found to act upon the informants in compromising ways.

The results suggest that the process of reclaiming one's sexuality is a process of meaning-finding. The data support a conclusion that occupational therapists should respect the cultural nature of sexuality. Moreover, the topic of sexuality should be approached in a holistic manner, perceiving it as extending in a continuum, which may be positively or negatively affected as a result of an acquired impairment.