Journal List > Korean J Androl > v.30(1) > 1033109

Yang, Hwang, and Park: The Prevalence and Associated Factors of Female Sexual Dysfunction in Korean Premenopausal Women: A Community-Based Study

Abstract

Purpose

To estimate the prevalence of and factors associated with female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in Korean women.

Materials and Methods

A total of 629 married women in the Chonnam and Gwangju area were randomly included in this study. They were asked to complete a questionnaire on FSD, which consisted of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), as well as psychological, physiological, and demographic factors.

Results

The mean age of the women was 36.97 years and the mean FSFI score was 25.56 out of a total score of 36. Based on the total FSFI score, 42.9% of the women had scores less than the cutoff point of 25, the assessed definition of FSD. The prevalence of FSD by age group was: 31.3% for 20∼29 year olds, 41.6% for 30∼39 year olds, and 51.8% for 40∼49 year olds. A stepwise regression analysis found that women with higher levels of sexual distress, lower frequency of sexual intercourse, lower levels of life satisfaction, a less important appraisal of sex, a higher likelihood of depression, more conservative attitude toward sex, irregular menstrual cycle, higher age, chronic disease, and a smoking habit were more likely to suffer from FSD.

Conclusions

The prevalence of FSD in Korean women was common and comparable to those reported worldwide. Sexual distress, frequency of sexual intercourse, and life satisfaction were important associated factors of FSD.

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Fig. 1.
Prevalence of female sexual dysfunction by age group.
kja-30-57f1.tif
Table 1.
General categorical variables of participants, n (%)
Age groups
 20∼29 years 163 (25.9)
 30∼39 years 221 (35.1)
 40∼49 years 245 (39.0)
Menstrual cycle
 Regular 448 (71.2)
 Irregular 181 (28.2)
Smoking history
 Presence 49 (7.8)
 Absence 580 (92.2)
Oral contraceptives
 Medication 34 (5.4)
 None 595 (94.6)
Chronic medical disease
 Presence 56 (8.9)
 Absence 573 (91.1)
Occupational status
 Full-time employed 347 (55.2)
 Part-time employed 84 (13.3)
 Unemployed 198 (31.5)

Mean age± standard deviation 36.97±7.39

Table 2.
Female sexual function scores from each functional domain of FSFI by age group
Age group 20∼29 39∼39 40∼49 p
No. of subjects 163 221 245  
FSFI domain
 Desire 3.72±1.06a 3.20±1.02b 3.16±1.12b 0.000
 Arousal 4.12±1.01a 3.71±1.06b 3.61±1.10b 0.000
 Lubrication 5.22±0.88a 4.85±1.05b 4.65±1.17b 0.000
 Orgasm 4.52±1.06a 4.26±1.18ab 4.18±1.22b 0.016
 Satisfaction 4.73±0.95a 4.28±1.08b 4.07±1.16b 0.000
 Pain 5.05±0.99a 4.98±1.16a 4.88±1.17a 0.311
 Total 27.38±4.44a 25.32±5.05b 24.57±5.54b 0.000

Means that do not share a common subscript within each row differ significantly according to Scheffe's procedure (p<0.05). FSFI: Female Sexual Function Index.

Table 3.
Psychological factors according to sexual function status
FSD (n=270) Normal (n=359) t p
Depression 11.22±9.38 4.66±5.63 10.89 0.000
Sexual distress 24.43±9.70 10.70±8.91 15.92 0.000
Life satisfaction 27.07±6.34 31.56±5.11 −9.81 0.000
Attitude toward sex 4.60±1.59 5.98±1.78 −10.04 0.000
Importance of sex 4.95±1.62 6.15±1.63 −9.16 0.000
Frequency of sexual intercourse 4.27±2.61 7.09±4.84 −8.64 0.000
Subjective health 5.76±1.77 6.68±1.50 −7.06 0.000

Values are mean±standard deviation. FSD: female sexual dysfunction.

Table 4.
Factors associated with FSD analyzed by stepwise regression analysis
Variable B SE B β R2 ΔR2 F p-value
Sexual distress −0.12 0.01 −0.24 0.301 0.301 293.02 0.000
Frequency of sexual intercourse 0.50 0.06 0.26 0.425 0.124 251.32 0.000
Life satisfaction 0.18 0.03 0.15 0.457 0.033 190.91 0.000
Importance of sex 0.57 0.13 0.13 0.477 0.020 154.66 0.000
Depression −0.07 0.02 −0.09 0.485 0.009 127.84 0.005
Attitude toward sex 0.39 0.12 0.09 0.493 0.008 109.77 0.002
Age −0.05 0.02 −0.06 0.497 0.004 95.47 0.037
Chronic medical disease −1.29 0.61 −0.05 0.500 0.003 84.42 0.036
Smoking −1.78 0.86 −0.05 0.503 0.003 75.88 0.038

FSD: female sexual dysfunction.

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