Perceptions of female sexual health and sexual dysfunction in a cohort of urban professional women in Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Data on sexual health behaviors, and the prevalence and risk factors for female sexual dysfunction (FSD) are rare, particularly from sub-Saharan Africa. This study was to briefly investigate the perceptions of a cohort of adult urban female professionals about female sexual health and sexual dysfunction awareness. Fifty female hospital staff attending an introductory seminar on FSD participated in this study by completing a 15-item questionnaire on some aspects of female sexual health. Questions asked ranged from sexual activity in the preceding 6 months, menopausal status, if they thought they had sexual dysfunction to their willingness to discuss an FSD with a sexual health physician if they had access to one. Over 50% (n=28) of the respondents had an idea about what FSD was before the survey. These respondents further defined FSD as either the inability of a female to respond to sex, a lack of urge to engage in sexual activities, or inability to attain orgasm. About half of the respondents (n=21) did not know that FSD could be managed; however, 70% of them felt comfortable with discussing FSD symptoms with a sexual health practitioner.76.9% of the respondents who thought they had symptoms of FSD in this series (n=10) were willing to see a sexual health expert if they had access to one. This study provides a brief insight into FSD awareness amongst apparently healthy female workers of a health care facility and the need for further community-based studies on female sexual health issues in our society. Furthermore, it highlights the appropriateness of a comprehensive sexual medicine service in tertiary health care facilities in Nigeria for adequate screening and diagnosis of patients before appropriate treatment of FSD.