Sexual functioning and practices in a multi‐ethnic study of midlife women: Baseline results from swan

Abstract

This study examined the sexual practices and function of midlife women by ethnicity (African American, Caucasian, Chinese, Hispanic, Japanese) and menopausal status. Sexual behavior was compared in 3,262 women in the baseline cohort of SWAN. Participants were 42 to 52 years old, premenopausal or early perimenopausal, and not hysterectomized or using hormones. Analysis used multivariate proportional odds regression. In our sample, 79% had engaged in sex with a partner in the last 6 months, and a third considered sex to be very important. Common reasons for no sex (n = 676) were lack of partner (67%), lack of interest (33%), and fatigue (16%). Compared with Caucasians, Japanese and Chinese women were less likely, and African Americans more likely, to report sex as very important (p < 0.005). Significant ethnic differences were found for frequency of all practices. Perimenopause status was associated only with higher frequencies of masturbation and pain during intercourse.

Symptoms of Depressed Mood, Disturbed Sleep, and Sexual Problems in Midlife Women: Cross-Sectional Data from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation

“…25,26 Variables assessing sleep problems and sexuality have been previously described. [27][28][29] Briefly, sleep was assessed by self-report on a three-question scale. Frequency of trouble falling asleep (difficulty with sleep initiation), several nighttime awakenings (difficulty with sleep maintenance), and waking earlier than planned with inability to fall asleep again (early morning awakening) in each of the last 2 weeks was measured as none, < 1 time per week, 1-2 times per week, 3-4 times per week; or ‡ 5 times per week.…”

“…27 The questionnaire was derived from several sources: The Massachusetts Women's' Health Study, The National Health and Social Life Survey, the National Survey of Family Growth, and the Women's Health Initiative Daily Life Form. 27,28 Items of interest for this study were five questions comprising a sexual function subset asking about desire, arousal, satisfaction, orgasm, and vaginal dryness. The remaining items from the questionnaire, assessing sexual practices and importance of sex, were not evaluated.…”

Sexual Self Schema as a Moderator of Sexual and Psychological Outcomes for Gynecologic Cancer Survivors

“…Third, a nurse evaluated symptomatology frequently experienced as late-onset physical sequelae of gynecologic cancer treatment-bladder, urinary tract, bowel, and endocrine changes/dysfunction (Janda, Obermair, Cella, Crandon, & Trimmel, 2004). We also included patient-reported posttreatment vaginal changes and fatigue, which are common, significantly affect quality of life (Broeckel, Jacobsen, Horton, Balducci, & Lyman, 1998;Cella, Lai, Chang, Peterman, & Slavin, 2002), and are associated with lower frequency of sexual activity (Cain et al, 2003). Finally, we assessed, from the participant's perspective, her partner's sexual difficulties to control for relative access to a sexual partner, as men with sexual dysfunction are significantly less likely to be sexually active (Blanker et al, 2001).…”

Women's sexual function and dysfunction: current uncertainties, future directions

“…2 Studying mostly younger women, empirical data show that reasons for sex are numerous and have been divided into the domains of 'emotional reasons' including love and commitment; 'physical reasons' including stress reduction and pleasure; 'goal-attainment reasons' including resources, social status and revenge; and 'insecurity reasons' including boosting of self-esteem, duty/ pressure and mate guarding. 3 Studying 1500 undergraduate psychology students, the majority of both men and women were motivated mostly by reasons related to attraction, pleasure, affection, love, romance, emotional closeness and the desire to please but women exceeded men in reporting emotional motivations.…”