Excerpts:

The prevalence of sexually related personal distress without a specified dysfunction [was reported] in nearly 30% of our study sample. …

That approximately one-half of young women experience sexually related personal distress and one in five women have an FSD, with sexual self-image dysfunction predominating, is concerning.

Fertility and Sterility

Volume 113, Issue 2, 426 – 434, 2020

Zheng, Jia et al.

Abstract

Objective

To document the prevalence of female sexual dysfunctions (FSDs) and factors associated with FSDs and sexually related personal distress in premenopausal women.

Design

Community-based cross-sectional study.

Setting

Eastern states of Australia.

Participants

Women aged 18–39 years.

Interventions(s)

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Women were classified as having sexually related personal distress if they had a Female Sexual Distress Scale–Revised score of ≥11, and as having an FSD if they had a low Profile of Female Sexual Function desire, arousal, orgasmic function, responsiveness, or sexual self-image domain score plus sexually related personal distress. Sociodemographic factors associated with an FSD were examined by means of multivariable logistic regression.

Result(s)

The prevalence of sexually related personal distress was 50.2%. Sexually related personal distress without dysfunction affected 29.6%, and 20.6% had at least one FSD. The proportions of women with self-image, arousal, desire, orgasm, and responsiveness dysfunction were 11.1%, 9%, 8%, 7.9%, and 3.4% respectively. Sexual self-image dysfunction was associated with being overweight, obese, living together, not married, married, breastfeeding, and taking a psychotropic medication. Psychotropic medication was significantly associated with all FSDs. Independent risk factors for nonspecific sexually related personal distress included psychotropic medication., sexual inactivity, and infertility treatment.

Conclusion(s)

That one-half of young Australian women have sexually related personal distress and one in five women have at least an FSD, with sexual self-image predominating, is concerning. The high prevalence of distress signals the importance of health professionals being adequately prepared to discuss sexual health concerns.