Introduction: Intimacy is an important determinant of quality of life. External technologies such as insulin pumps (CSII) and continuous glucose monitors (CGM) have the potential to impact intimacy and this may impact their uptake. We aimed to explore the association between external technologies and sexual activity.
Methods: An invitation to complete an online survey was sent to 3500 type 1 diabetes patients aged 16-60 years living in Western Australia. We used a mixed method approach with quantitative and qualitative responses.
Results: Of the 285 respondents (mean age 34.5yrs), 125 (44%) used CSII and 100 (35%) used CGM. Of CSII users, 49% reported that CSII interferes with sex. Common problems cited were; interrupts the moment, tangles and pulls. As a result, 75% of patients disconnect their pump to avoid this. The preferred CSII insertion site with respect to sexual activity was the abdomen, and 22% of patients reported that comfort during sex influenced the location of the site. One in four non-CSII users cited concerns about intimacy as a factor for not adopting the technology. In contrast, CGM was reported to interfere with sexual activity in only 20% of respondents, sexual activity did not commonly affect CGM placement (18%), and just one in ten non-CGM users cited intimacy as a factor for not adopting the technology. There were no differences between CSII and non-CSII respondents in body dissatisfaction (p=0.664) or anxiety (p=0.344).
Conclusion: CSII has a significant impact on intimacy and these concerns may significantly influence their uptake, but is less of an issue with respect to CGM. With increasing use of diabetes technologies, it is important for health care professionals to be aware of these potential concerns and address strategies to mitigate these.