Abstract
Background: Sexuality is a complex phenomenon that is being influenced by psychological, nutritional as well as physiological factors. Its dysfunction includes desire, arousal, orgasmic and sex pain disorders. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of sexual dysfunction (SD) and risk factors in a cohort of both married and unmarried female students in UDS-Tamale. Methods: The Golombok Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS) was administered to 150 female students independent of age (mean±SD: single (24.1 ± 2.0) and married (29.6 ± 5.2)) domiciled in UDS-Tamale campus. Results: Out of a total of 150 questionnaires administered. 93 (62.0%) females returned the questionnaires, and 79 were complete and evaluable questionnaires. This represents 52.7% response rate. From this study, the age ranges as well as the mean (SD) of the age of the participants are 20 to 42 and 27.0 ± 4.8 years respectively. The mean duration of marriage is 4.6 ± 3.4 years. Majority of the studied participants are non-smokers (97.5%), do not consumed alcoholic beverages (67.1%), do not have any chronic disease (69.6%) and do not also have any family history of any chronic disease condition (55.7%). The mean income level, BMI as well as WHR are Ghc 590.1 ±406.9, 25.6 ± 3.5 kg m-2 and 0.8 ± 0.1 respectively. The prevalence of sexual dysfunction among the single respondent was 67.6%. The most prevalent areas of difficulties were: infrequency 81.1%, Avoidance 64.9%, non-communication 64.9%, dissatisfaction 64.9%, anorgasmia 62.2%, non-sensuality 56.8% and vaginismus 56.8%. The prevalence of sexual dysfunction among the married respondent was 54.8%. Sexual dysfunction is high in both single female (67.9%) and married female (54.8%) medical students in the study. Conclusion: Married females in the study were more obese than single females, and the married-obese group was associated with high sexual dysfunction. Notwithstanding this however, the single-normal females had more sexual dysfunction compared to the married-normal females. The SD in the females appear to be contributed mostly by infrequency and avoidance in the single female group, whereas by dissatisfaction and infrequency in the married female group.
Highlights
As sexual beings, sex and sexuality are inherent aspects of humans’ existence, and each allows for expressions of individuality through intimate experience that may be associated with both pleasure and pain (MacLaren, 1995)
Married females in the study were more obese than single females, and the married-obese group was associated with high sexual dysfunction
Notwithstanding this the single-normal females had more sexual dysfunction compared to the married-normal females
Summary
Sex and sexuality are inherent aspects of humans’ existence, and each allows for expressions of individuality through intimate experience that may be associated with both pleasure and pain (MacLaren, 1995). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) of the American Psychiatric Association in contrast defines sexual dysfunction as “disturbances in sexual desire and in the psychophysiological changes that characterize the sexual response cycle and cause marked distress and interpersonal difficulty” (APA, 2000). Both definitions rely substantially on the human sexual response cycle model first proposed by Masters and Johnson (1966) and further by Kaplan (1974). The sexual response cycle was perceived as a coordination of four major phases or stages which included, a desire (libido) stage which encompasses desire to have sexual activity and sexual fantasies; an arousal (excitement) stage which consists of subjectively felt sense of sexual pleasure and related physiological changes; an orgasm phase which consists of the climax or peaking of sexual pleasure, with release of sexual tension and the rhythmic contraction of the perineal muscles and reproductive organs; and a satisfaction (resolution) stage, which consists of a sense of muscular relaxation and general well-being (Basson et al, 2000; De Silva, 1998)
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