Adult sexuality and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

Fifty-eight adults, 37 females and 21 males, were examined and interviewed in a follow-up study, an average of 14.5 years from the onset of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Sexual activities of 52 patients were found similar to their peers in the general population. Thirty-eight per cent expressed a need for sexual counselling. Activity of disease rather than severity of joint deformity was found to be the more inhibiting factor in sexual activity. Sexual counselling can help to combat some of these limitations. Sexual counselling should be an integral part of the total treatment provided these patients.