Presence of a sexual problem may not affect women's satisfaction from their sexual function.
BACKGROUND
It has been proposed that women's sexual problems/dysfunctions, in the absence of personal and interpersonal distress, may have little clinical importance, as they may not necessarily affect women's sexual satisfaction. However, data are missing to support such interpretation.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of the present study was to examine whether the presence of a sexual problem necessary affects women's satisfaction with sexual function.


METHODS
The study included 164 women who visited a general hospital because of symptoms not related to their sexual function and were asked to complete voluntarily and anonymously demographic data and two questionnaires.


METHODS
Women completed the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI)--an instrument which evaluates women sexual function--and the Symptom Checklist of Sexual Function-women version (SCSF-w), a screening tool of women's self-perception of sexual function.


RESULTS
Mean patients' age was 43 +/- 12.6 (18-72) years. According to the FSFI, 48.8% of the participants had a sexual dysfunction. However, based on their self-perception of sexual function (SCSF), 80.5% of the sample declared to be satisfied with their sexual function, despite the fact that 69.5% of them reported at least one sexual problem. Of all women, only 26.2% would like to talk about their sexual problem(s) with a doctor (57.4% of those who are "bothered" by their sexual symptoms). Logistic regression analysis revealed no association between any sexual dysfunction and women's satisfaction from their sexual function.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the presence of sexual problem(s), women may be satisfied with their sexual function, but half of those who are bothered would like to talk about it with their doctor. The presence of a sexual problem or its severity is not a determinant of women's help-seeking behavior. Such data strongly support current definitions of women's sexual dysfunction, where the presence of personal distress has been included as a crucial dimension.
Ferenidou
Fotini
F
Center for Sexual and Reproductive Health, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Papageorgiou General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Kapoteli
Voula
V
Moisidis
Kyriakos
K
Koutsogiannis
Ioannis
I
Giakoumelos
Alexandros
A
Hatzichristou
Dimitrios
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012649:Self Concept; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires