Study objective-To examine associations between abuse (physical, sexual, and emotional) in childhood and adolescence/adulthood and sexual activity and dysfunction (FSD) in women.Design-We analyzed data from the Boston Area Community Health (BACH) Survey, a community-based epidemiologic study of urologic and sexual symptoms and risk factors in a racially/ ethnically diverse random sample of women aged 30-79 (N=3,205 women).
Setting-Boston Area communityPatients-Participants were community residents.Interventions-Data were observational; no interventions were made.Main outcome measure-Sexual activity and dysfunction rates (FSD) were assessed by means of a validated questionnaire: the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI).Results-Abuse history was not significantly associated with likelihood of sexual activity. Among those who were sexually active with a partner, a history of each of three types of abuse approximately doubles the risk of FSD. Specifically, childhood emotional (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.28, 3.56), adult sexual (OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.23, 3.08), and adult emotional abuse (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.15, 3.01) were all significantly and positively associated with sexual dysfunction (p < .05) after adjusting for covariates (including depression). Analyses of the six FSD domains showed that the relationships were strongest for pain (p = .006) and satisfaction (p < .001).Conclusions-These findings extend previous literature by identifying an association between FSD and multiple types of abuse, even after adjusting for depression.