Sex lives are negatively impacted by rheumatoid arthritis according to 1 in 3 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients surveyed for a study in Norway which was reported at the annual EULAR (The European League Against Rheumatism). Of the 1,041 study participants, 78 percent were women, average age 58 years old, and average number of years since being diagnosed was 13 years.

There were 830 of the 1,041 participants who answered the survey question about the impact of rheumatoid arthritis on sex. Responses revealed:

• 31 percent said RA had no impact on sex
• 38 percent said RA had little impact
• 21 percent said RA had considerable impact
• 3 percent reported sex was nearly impossible due to RA
• 7 percent reported sex was impossible due to RA

Though less men than women took the survey, a higher percentage of men (40 percent) reported considerable impact on sex than women (28 percent). Pain was not pointed to as the primary interference with sex. Fatigue and physical limitations were the biggest factors.

Related Resources:

• Guide to Sexuality and Arthritis
• How Arthritis Complicates Sexuality
• In Sickness and In Health
• The Soothing Power of Snuggling
• POLL: Impact of Arthritis on Sexuality
• 10 Things You Should Know About Rheumatoid Arthritis

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