Sexuality of alcoholic postmenopausal women: effects of duration of alcohol abstinence.

Abstract

Little is known about the sexuality of alcoholic postmenopausal women, and even less is known about the influence of abstinence on self-assessed measures of sexual function. We now report findings in 60 postmenopausal women to whom a standardized questionnaire was administered. The responses provided information related to not only perceptions of sexuality, but also sexual behavior and performance. Women were categorized as alcohol abstinent (AA) for > 1 year (long AA, n = 33) or < 1 year (short AA, n = 27). There were no differences between the groups in age, age at menarche, age at menopause, or age at onset of heavy drinking and alcohol dependence. The mean response rate to 12 sexuality-related questions was comparable in the long AA and short AA groups (83.8% and 85.6%, respectively), and reflected the prevalence of having a regular sexual partner (76% and 85%, respectively). There were statistical differences between the two groups with respect to sexual desire, arousability, and responsiveness during alcohol abstinence, but not during alcohol dependence. Further, there were significant differences with respect to measures of current sexuality: higher proportions of long AA women reported sex being important, as well as their sexual life and intercourse being satisfying. Taken together, these findings suggest that alcoholic postmenopausal women abstinent from alcohol for longer than 1 year report greater satisfaction with the sexual aspects of their lives than women abstinent for a shorter period of time.