900 Section - Early inpatient approach to sexuality in patients with spinal cord injury: frequency, interventions, and perceived barriers by neurorehabilitation professionals

Objectives : To describe the frequency, types of interventions, and perceived barriers in the early inpatient approach to sexuality in patients with SCI by neurorehabilitation professionals during the subacute hospitalization period.

Design: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out using a structured questionnaire validated by expert judgment. Participants were neurorehabilitation professionals (physiatrists, physicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, nurses, and social workers) with at least six months of experience in SCI inpatient care. The instrument included sociodemographic and professional variables, frequency and type of interventions, perceived barriers, available resources, and interest in training. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, bivariate tests, and logistic regression models to identify predictors of higher frequency in addressing sexuality.

Results: Sixty-seven professionals completed the questionnaire; after data cleaning, 29 responses were included in the final analysis. Most respondents reported addressing sexuality only occasionally or reactively, usually when prompted by patients. Interventions were mainly limited to providing basic information and emotional support, while structured sexual education and systematic referrals were rarely performed. Logistic regression showed no significant association between the frequency of addressing sexuality and professional role, years of experience, or perception of available resources (p > 0.05).
The main barriers identified were lack of specific training, perception of low priority in the acute stage of rehabilitation, and emotional discomfort for both professionals and patients. Institutional culture was also perceived as discouraging open discussion of sexual health.

Conclusion: The early inpatient approach to sexuality in SCI remains limited, fragmented, and largely dependent on patient initiative. Barriers related to insufficient training, institutional practices, and emotional discomfort restrict systematic integration of sexual health into routine care. These findings underscore the need for professional training programs and institutional protocols that promote an integrated, biopsychosocial, and humanized approach to sexuality as an essential component of comprehensive rehabilitation.