Communication about physical activity to reduce vascular erectile dysfunction – A qualitative interview study among men in cardiac rehabilitation

Background: Physical activity, a core intervention in cardiac rehabilitation, can reduce vascular erectile dysfunction (ED). ED is a common sensitive problem for men with car- diac diseases, decreasing their quality of life. Cardiac health professionals rarely provide information about ED or its relation to physical activity. Developing health profession- als’ communicative component of the complex intervention ‘Physical Activity to reduce Vascular Erectile Dysfunction’ (PAVED) is important. Understanding the receiver needs is essential in designing a complex intervention.
Aim: To elucidate men's perspectives on cardiac health professionals’ communication about PAVED.
Ethical issues: An Institutional Data Protection Agency approved the study.
Methods: An interpretive data-driven thematic analysis was applied to individual, quali- tative semi-structured interviews with 20 Danish men attending cardiac rehabilitation. Results: The men wanted health professionals’ communicating about ED, as it was per- ceived as a major problem diminishing masculinity and tabooed by health professionals. Men wanted help for self-help, which may be possible with the aid of competent health professionals’ communication about how to prevent, reduce and cope with ED - includ- ing information about PAVED. The men wanted health professionals’ communication about ED in various contexts: general information in groups, sexual counselling for indi- viduals and couples and written material.
Study limitations: Recruitment was done from a Danish municipality's cardiac rehabili- tation, and the transferability of the results may be limited to similar contexts. Conclusion: Erectile dysfunction was experienced as a major biopsychosocial problem for the men and their partners. The men had a need for health professionals’ communi- cation about sexuality, ED and information about PAVED as well as about prevention, reduction and management of ED. The men had a need for professional communication about sexual health.