Sexual Abilities and Opportunities: Tuberculosis as a Challenge to the Sexual Lives of Men in Bangladesh

Little is known about how men behave sexually after being diagnosed with tuberculosis. This chapter is based on qualitative findings from 25 former and current male patients with tuberculosis and their wives. The findings suggest that tuberculosis affects patients’ sexual functioning, relationship with their spouse, and sense of masculinity. It was found that complete abstinence, partial abstinence, and forced intercourse resulted from a fear of transmission, sexual performance anxiety, and a threat to one’s perceived entitlement to intercourse, respectively. These responses are rooted in dominant norms in Bangladesh related to tuberculosis, sexuality, and masculinity. Future interventions should address the sexual health of people with tuberculosis and their partners.