Age, gender, depression, and sexual dysfunction in Taiwan.
BACKGROUND
The effects of age and gender on sexual function have attracted much attention in recent years, though few studies have focused on this issue in Asian populations.


OBJECTIVE
The Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (CSFQ) was used to: (i) assess the differences in sexual functioning between unmedicated outpatients with depressive disorders and healthy volunteers; and (ii) investigate the influences of gender and age on sexual functioning in both groups.


METHODS
The CSFQ was used to assess sexual dysfunction.


METHODS
Two groups of subjects, 73 unmedicated patients with depressive disorders and 116 healthy volunteers, were recruited to the study, and changes in their sexual function were assessed using the CSFQ. Subjects' global depressive level and psychiatric morbidity were assessed using the Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire (TDQ) and the Chinese Health Questionnaire (CHQ).


RESULTS
The depressed subjects had significantly lower total CSFQ scores than did the controls. A negative correlation between age and total CSFQ score was found in both genders of depressed patients. Age generally predicted the sum of the CSFQ scores for both genders in the depressed group after controlling for TDQ score; however, a positive correlation between age and total CSFQ score was identified in the female controls. We also found that the S-curve was the best-fit curve for both the male and female controls, the cut-off point for which was the age of 40.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study confirmed that, as a screening tool for clinically significant sexual dysfunction, the CSFQ offered good sensitivity for both the healthy and depressed subjects. In addition, our findings suggested that age and gender differences should be taken into account when measuring sexual satisfaction. It is possible that the age of 40 could be an anchor point in sexual functioning for the female population of Taiwan.
Chen
Kao Ching
KC
Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, 138 Sheng Li Road, Tainan 70428, Taiwan. ykyang@mail.ncku.edu.tw
Yeh
Tzung Lieh
TL
Lee
I Hui
IH
Chen
Po See
PS
Huang
Hui-Chun
HC
Yang
Yen Kuang
YK
Shen
Winston W
WW
Lu
Ru-Band
RB
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012737:Sex Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology