Use of the Italian translation of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) in routine gynecological practice.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate domains of sexual function in healthy women attending a gynecological office for routine annual check-up using the Italian translation of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) according to age, reproductive status and hormonal treatments; and to confirm the usefulness of the FSFI in detecting relevant clinical entities.


METHODS
Of 720 women (age range 18-65 years), 564 (78%) filled in a short anamnestic questionnaire and the FSFI assessing desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain. A semi-structured DSM-IV-TR clinical interview was administered to a convenience sample of women selected according to the quartile distribution of the median full scale FSFI score. Analysis of data was performed by frequency tables and non-parametric statistics.


RESULTS
The median full scale score of FSFI in our study population was 27.6 (lower quartile: 18.7, upper quartile: 30.9) and the percentage of women under the lower quartile of the distribution was 24.4%. Sexual function decreased progressively with age, being significantly lower after 30 years and after 60 years (chi(2) = 52.6; p = 0.0001). Menopausal women had significantly lower median FSFI full scale score compared with fertile women and women who used oral contraception (OC) (p < 0.0001 for both), while users of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) displayed better overall sexual function than untreated postmenopausal women (p < 0.005). A positive diagnosis of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) was evident only in young women scoring under the lower quartile of the distribution (cut-off score: 23.4 for women not taking OC and 20.8 for OC users), while older women were dysfunctional also above the lower quartile of the distribution (cut-off score: 14.1 for menopause, 18.5 for HRT) of the FSFI full scale score.


CONCLUSIONS
The FSFI is a powerful screening tool for FSD, especially in young fertile women, and may be used effectively in routine gynecological practice.
Nappi
Rossella E
RE
Research Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Morphological, Eidological and Clinical Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy. renappi@tin.it
Albani
Francesca
F
Vaccaro
Patrizia
P
Gardella
Barbara
B
Salonia
Andrea
A
Chiovato
Luca
L
Spinillo
Arsenio
A
Polatti
Franco
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003944:Diagnostic Techniques, Obstetrical and Gynecological; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008875:Middle Aged; D017584:Reproductive History; D012107:Research Design; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019529:Sexuality / Q000502:physiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014177:Translations