title: Menopause negatively impacts sexual lives of middle-aged Iranian women: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: The study aimed to explore associations between sexual function, demographic variables, health and menopausal status among middle-aged Iranian women. Participants were 200 Iranian middle-aged women (40-65 years). All women completed the Female Sexual Function Index and the Brief Profile of Female Sexual Function. Data were analyzed using a Pearson correlation statistical test, a one-way analysis of variance, an independent t test, and a linear regression analysis. Advanced age, lower education, and socioeconomic status were significantly correlated with the lower scores on the Female Sexual Function Index. Lower scores on the Female Sexual Function Index were associated with being retired; having a hysterectomy or oophorectomy; and presence of hot flashes, vaginal dryness, health problems, prescription drug use, and cold sweats. There were no significant associations between middle-aged women's sexual function and ethnicity, body mass index, alcohol consumption, severity of hot flashes, and hot flash frequency. Sexual desire was decreased or absent in 94.5% of the postmenopausal respondents. Our findings appear that sexual function is associated with sociodemographic characteristics of Iranian middle-aged women. Gender-sensitive counseling and medical services for aging Iranian women can improve the quality of women's sexual lives.
authors.affiliation: a Iranian National Center of Addiction Studies, Risk Behavior Institution , Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Effat
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Merghati-Khoei
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sheikhan
authors.forename: Neda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shamsalizadeh
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haghani
authors.forename: Yousof Reza
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Yousofnia Pasha
authors.forename: Therese
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Killeen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D018454:Spouses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires