Pelvic floor disorders associated with higher-level sexual dysfunction in the Kersa district, Ethiopia.

Merga Dheresa,Yemane Berhane,Nega Assefa,Lemessa Oljira,Bezatu Mengistie,Alemayehu Worku

doi:10.4274/tjod.86658

Abstract

Objective:To assess the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction and its association with pelvic floor disorder (PFD) in a large scale, community-based study.Materials and Methods:A total of 2389 women who were married and still in union at the time of the study were drawn from 3432 women who had ever been married who participated in a PFD study. Study participants were selected through a multistage sampling procedure based on Kersa Health and Demographic Surveillance System database. The Female Sexual Function Index questionnaire was employed to collect data. The index score <26.55 was used as a cut-off point for sexual dysfunction. The content of the tool was validated and internal reliability was checked using Cronbach’s alpha. Poisson regression model with robust variance estimation was used to investigate the relationship between PFDs and sexual dysfunction.Results:From the total 2389 participants, 1127 [47.0%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 45.0-49.0] had sexual dysfunction. Sexual desire disorder was the most prevalent disorder (72.0%; 95% CI: 70.0-74.0). After controlling for confounding factors, the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction was found as 56% (adjusted prevalence ratio, 1.56; 95% CI: 1.44-1.69) higher with women with PFD as compared with women without PFD.Conclusion:In the rural community of Kersa, about half of the women have sexual dysfunction and it is significantly associated with PFD. This would call for an urgent intervention against PFD to maximize the women’s sexual and reproductive health.

Highlights

Sexual dysfunction is a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by a clinically significant disturbance in a person’s ability to respond sexually or to experience sexual pleasure[1]
After controlling for confounding factors, the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction was found as 56% higher with women with pelvic floor disorder (PFD) as compared with women without PFD
The prevalence of desire disorder was 85.0% among women with PFD, whereas it was 69.0% among women without PFD (Figure 3)

Summary

Introduction

Sexual dysfunction is a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by a clinically significant disturbance in a person’s ability to respond sexually or to experience sexual pleasure[1]. Women with PFD fail to attain sexual function due to discomfort, mechanical obstruction of prolapsed organ, pain, and leakage. For these reasons and due to the fear of incontinence[9], they avoid sexual intercourse or restrict sexual activity. Added to the aforementioned contradictory and indeterminate stories, in developing countries such as Ethiopia, sexual behaviors, activities, and problems are not discussed openly. To discuss these is considered an utter social taboo when it comes to women, in the Ethiopian context.

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion