title: Prevalence and correlates of sexual dysfunction among women with bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the prevalence and correlates of general and bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC)-specific sexual dysfunction among women in the RAND Interstitial Cystitis Epidemiology study using a probability sample survey of U.S. households. Sexual dysfunction can contribute to a reduced quality of life for women with bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC).
  
  
  METHODS
  We telephoned 146,231 households to identify women who reported bladder symptoms or a BPS/IC diagnosis. Those who reported either underwent a second-stage screening using the RAND Interstitial Cystitis Epidemiology study high-specificity symptom criteria. The criteria were pain, pressure, or discomfort in pelvic area; daytime urinary frequency ≥10 times or urgency due to pain, pressure, or discomfort (not fear of wetting); pain that worsened as the bladder filled; bladder symptoms did not resolve after antibiotic treatment; and patients never treated with hormone injections for endometriosis. Women who met the RAND Interstitial Cystitis Epidemiology criteria (n = 1469) completed measures of BPS/IC-specific and general sexual dysfunction symptoms, bladder symptom severity, general physical health, depression, medical care-seeking, and sociodemographic characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of those with a current sexual partner (75%), 88% reported ≥1 general sexual dysfunction symptom and 90% reported ≥1 BPS/IC-specific sexual dysfunction symptom in the past 4 weeks. In the multivariate models, BPS/IC-specific sexual dysfunction was significantly associated with more severe BPS/IC symptoms, younger age, worse depression symptoms, and worse perceived general health. Multivariate correlates of general sexual dysfunction included non-Latino race/ethnicity, being married, and having depression symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of our study have shown that women with BPS/IC symptoms experience very high levels of sexual dysfunction. Also, sexual dysfunction covaries with symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA. laura.bogart@childrens.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Laura M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Bogart
authors.forename: Marika J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Suttorp
authors.forename: Marc N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: J Quentin
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Clemens
authors.forename: Sandra H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Berry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018856:Cystitis, Interstitial / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy