knowledge and patterns of sexual activity among patients with myocardial infarction in iran: a cross-sectional analytical study

Background and aims: myocardial infarction (mi) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, adversely affecting various aspects of patients' lives, including their sexual activity. this study aimed to investigate the knowledge and sexual activity patterns of patients following mi. methods: this cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted among patients admitted to hajar hospital, shahrekord, chaharmahal and bakhtiari province, iran, from april to october 2024. a total of 102 patients who experienced their first mi completed a demographic questionnaire, the sexual activity patterns checklist, and the persian version of the sex after mi knowledge test (α=0.70) at hospital discharge and again two months later. data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics in spss version 25, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant. results: among the 102 participants, 82 were men (80.4%) and 20 women (19.6%), with a mean age of 54.95±6.98 years. the mean post-mi sexual knowledge score was 49.75±4.07, with the lowest knowledge observed in emotional reactions (48.82% correct answers). frequency and duration of sexual intercourse significantly decreased after mi (p<0.001). additionally, sexual desire, orgasm experience, sexual enjoyment, and engagement in foreplay also significantly decreased (p<0.001 and p=0.002), whereas fear of initiating sexual intercourse significantly increased after mi (p<0.001). conclusion: post-mi sexual knowledge, particularly regarding emotional reactions, was inadequate, and patients experienced adverse changes in their sexual activity patterns. these findings highlight the need to integrate structured sexual education and counseling into cardiac rehabilitation programs to enhance sexual knowledge and promote healthier sexual behaviors among patients.