Sexual Dysfunctions are Predicted by Childhood Sexual Abuse in Women with Opioid Use Disorder

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ABSTRACTBackground: Studies on sexual functioning of populations with substance use disorders (SUDs) are mostly conducted with male substance users. We have very limited information about the sexuality and related factors in women with opioid use disorder (OUD). Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the relationship between childhood traumatic experiences (CTEs) and sexual dysfunctions (SDs) of women with OUD and to compare it with a sample of women who do not have SUD. Methods: Participants included 51 outpatient women with OUD who were on opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) with Buprenorphine/Naloxone and 48 women without SUD. Participants were evaluated by a semi-structured sociodemographic form, the Golombok-Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS), the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-28), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Results: In women with OUD; CTQ-28, BDI, STAI, and GRISS scores were significantly higher. In the partial correlation analysis, sexual abuse was found to be significantly correlated with nonsensuality, avoidance and total GRISS score. In stepwise regression model, sexual abuse was found to predict SDs together with depression. Conclusions: CTE, SD, depression, and anxiety rates were higher in the women with OUD. Especially childhood sexual abuse was associated with SDs in this group. Sexual abuse was predicting SDs together with depression. Further investigation of different characteristics of women with SUD may give an opportunity to clinicians to have a better understanding for adaptable treatment strategies.