Healthcare Utilization in Women Diagnosed with Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder: Interim Baseline Results from the HSDD Registry for Women

Abstract

To investigate treatment seeking and utilization of women diagnosed with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in the clinical setting. We used interim baseline data from the ongoing HSDD Registry for Women (n = 724, enrolled at 27 clinical sites across the United States in 2008-2009). The recent diagnosis of generalized, acquired HSDD was confirmed by clinician's administration of the validated diagnostic Decreased Sexual Desire Screener. Treatment-seeking behavior was categorized as formal (discussion with a healthcare provider or use of off-label prescription treatment for HSDD) or informal/none (over-the-counter products, anonymous media, or no help seeking). Over half (n = 386, 53%) of these women with clinically diagnosed HSDD had not sought formal healthcare for their decreased sexual desire problem. Among formal healthcare seekers, 36% remained untreated, whereas 64% received some form of treatment. The most common treatments reported were nonprescription lubricants or arousal creams (36%) and off-label prescription medications (20%). Women were more likely to have sought formal help if they were married/cohabiting, were postmenopausal, had private health insurance, had > 5 current prescription medications, had depression symptoms, had a longer duration of sexual desire problems, or reported that the partner relationship or sense of femininity/sexual self was threatened by HSDD. In these women with HSDD, less than half had sought healthcare, but of those who had sought healthcare, almost two thirds received some form of treatment. Regardless of treatment-seeking behavior, most women had a strong desire to "feel like a normal person again" regarding sexuality, which was the most common motivating factor for treatment seeking.