Prevalence of Sexual Dysfunction in Female Outpatients and Personnel at a Colombian Hospital: Correlation with Hormonal Profile

Abstract

Introduction Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is a multifactorial entity and an underestimated problem with an overall prevalence between 20% and 50%. Prevalence can change according to the diagnostic criteria used, data collection, and others such as psychological and cultural factors. Population studies of FSD are limited, both in Colombia and in other countries. Nevertheless, because of the prevalence found in other studies, FSD can be considered a public health issue that affects the quality of life of women who suffer from it and their partners. Aim To determine the prevalence of FSD and its correlation with the hormonal profile in female outpatients and female staff at San Jose Hospital (Bogotá, Colombia). Methods We performed a cross-sectional study with endocrine measurements. Main Outcome Measures The prevalence of FSD according to the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) cutoff points, and androgenic deficiency defined as women with a proportion of free testosterone below 2%. Demographic characteristics, medical history survey, FSFI, and a hormonal profile that included follicle stimulating hormore (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin, estrone, estradiol, sulphate and total dehydroepiandrosterone, androstenedione, sex hormone binding globulin, and total testosterone. Results Fifty (49.5%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 39.4–59.6%) out of 101 participants met the criteria for FSD; in those women with sexual activity in the past 4 weeks, the prevalence of FSD was 37.8% (95% CI: 27.3–49.1%). In the hormone evaluation sample, 29 out of 32 women with sexual activity in the past 4 weeks met the criteria for FSD. Our results suggest that there is independence between the FSFI scores and the proportion of free testosterone. Conclusions Our findings suggest that FSD in our population has a prevalence as high as that previously reported in the literature; however, because of the sample selection criteria, we could not say that our study results may well reflect the prevalence in our general Colombian population.

Sexual dysfunction in middle-aged women

“…Although our results cannot be extrapolated to all Latin America, the high participation rate (low refusal rate) within all cities gives strength to the findings of this cross-sectional study. Our SD prevalence rate (56.8%) is similar to that found by others using the FSFI tool in Colombia (37.8%), 13 Iran (39%; 50-60 y), 38 and Greece (48.8%; 43 y on average), 39 yet lower than that found in Thailand (82.3%) for women aged 45 to 55 years. 32 Using another SD diagnostic tool, a multicenter study (29 countries) including 13,882 women aged 40 to 80 years detected that 39% present with SD.…”

“…Using statistical software (EPI-INFO 6.04; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA), a minimal sample size of 380 participants per center was calculated, considering that each center covered an estimated population of 50,000 women 11 and assuming that 50% of the surveyed population would present SD 12,13 with an estimated 5% error and a 95% CI. To record all data, an itemized questionnaire was previously constructed and validated in 50 women before implementation at the centers affiliated with the Collaborative Group for Research of the Climacteric in Latin America (REDLINC) participating in this study known as the REDLINC III, aiming to assess sexuality and determine SD prevalence and related risk factors in middle-aged women.…”

“…This instrument used to assess sexual function in the past 4 weeks is composed of 19 questions grouped in six domains or dimensions: desire (items 1 and 2), arousal (items 3-6), lubrication (items 7-10), orgasm (items [11][12][13], satisfaction (items [14][15][16], and pain (items [17][18][19]. Each question has a Likert scale score varying from 0 to 5.…”

Assessment of sexuality among middle-aged women using the Female Sexual Function Index

“…In this sense, the FSFI fulfils many of these requirements and may be applied to climacteric and non-climacteric populations 5,28,29 . Since there are many social and cultural determinants in sexuality and female sexual dysfunction, cross-cultural adaptation of the FSFI has taken place, as it has been validated in English-, German-, Spanish-, Dutch-, Italian-and Portuguese-speaking populations 2,27,[29][30][31][32][33] . Although the prevalence and related risk factors for female sexual dysfunction among Ecuadorian middle-aged women have been previously reported using DSM IV criteria 3 , the utility of the FSFI has not yet been documented in this population.…”

Impacto de la histerectomía abdominal total y de la histerectomía vaginal sin prolapso en la calidad de vida y la satisfacción sexual. Estudio de cohortes, Medellín, 2015

“…Cada ítem tipo Likert consta de 5 o 6 opciones a las que se les asigna un puntaje que va de 0 a 5; a mayor puntaje final en la escala, mejor sexualidad, con un rango de valores posibles entre 2 y 36 (15). No se identificó un proceso de validación de la escala en Colombia, pero sí al español en Chile (17), y la aplicación de esta versión en Colombia y en otros países latinoamericanos (18,19). El equipo investigador valoró la redacción de las preguntas y consideró que eran aplicables a la población por incluir en el estudio.…”