Sexual health of women from a gynaecology clinic in Hong Kong
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12809/hkjgom.24.2.373Keywords:
Risk factors, Sexual dysfunction, physiological, Sexual health, Sexuality, Surveys and questionnaires, Sexual dysfunctions, psychologicalAbstract
Objectives: To identify factors associated with female sexual dysfunction (FSD) among Hong Kong Chinese women in a gynaecology outpatient clinic.
Methods: Chinese women aged 18 to 65 years who had been sexually active in the past 4 weeks before recruitment and attended the gynaecology clinic of Kwong Wah Hospital between October 2020 and July 2021 were invited to participate in a sexual health survey. Participant demographics were collected through the clinical management system. Sexual function in the previous 4 weeks was assessed using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI).
Results: 206 women (mean age, 43.6 years) were included in the analysis. The mean total FSFI score was 23.44; 42% of participants were at risk of FSD, with a total FSFI score of <23.45. The score was lowest in the sexual desire domain (2.88) and highest in the coital pain domain (4.51). Participants were divided into three age groups based on their reproductive age status: 18 to 35 years (n=44), 36 to 50 years (n=116), and 51 to 65 years (n=46). Although older age groups tended to have higher risks of FSD, the differences between groups were not significant. Specifically, only the satisfaction domain score was lower in the age group of 36 to 50 years than in the age group of 18 to 35 years (4.16 vs 4.61, p=0.01). The coital pain domain score was higher in menopausal women than in premenopausal women (3.76 vs 4.51, p=0.03)). Parous women had a lower sexual desire domain score (2.78 vs 3.04, p=0.04) and higher vaginal lubrication domain score (4.42 vs 3.74, p=0.02) than nulliparous women. Women using contraception had a higher vaginal lubrication domain score than women not using contraception (4.47 vs 3.91, p=0.02). Women with distress related to sexual function had a lower total FSFI score (19.74 vs 23.78, p=0.01), lower satisfaction domain score (3.80 vs 4.42, p=0.02), and lower coital pain domain score (3.38 vs 4.51, p=0.01), compared with women without distress related to sexual function.
Conclusion: Of Hong Kong gynaecology patients, 42% are at risk of FSD. Menopausal women had a lower coital pain domain score; women not using contraception had a lower vaginal lubrication domain score.
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