Female Sexual Quality Of Life Research Articles

(125) Efficacy of Hilti Gold vs. Epimedyumlu Macun in Duration of Erection and Its Correlation with Partners ´Sexual Quality of Life

Abstract Introduction In healthy men, the average duration of sexual intercourse ranges from nine to ten minutes. However, duration of erection has been shown to be shorter in men with Erectile Dysfunction (ED) and even shorter for men with ED plus associated underlying conditions. Furthermore, duration of Penis erection is most important for sexual couple. Objective The aim of this study was to assess two herbal supplements: HILTI gold (Hg) vs Epimedyumlu Macun (EM) efficacy in terms of duration of erection and (i) Its correlation with other efficacy end points and male and female sexual quality of life (QoL) and (ii) Its impact on intercourse duration. Methods A double-blind, controlled trial randomized men (18–65 years of age) with ED for more than six months, to receive fixed-dose either Hg, 1 capsule or EM, 1 tea spoon (60 minutes prior intercourse) for 12 weeks in 52 patients with ED, after four-week without medication. Primary efficacy end points were stopwatch-assessed duration of erection (min) at any attempt and when leading to successful intercourse, and the erectile function domain of the International Index of Erectile Function (EF-IIEF) score was assessed at week 12/ last observation carried forward (LOCF). Secondary end points were Sexual Encounter Profile question three (SEP3) response rate and male sexual QoL. End points in participating women were stopwatch-assessed duration of intercourse and sexual QoL. Results 52 men included. 42% had moderate ED. 58% had severe ED at baseline. At week 12 / LOCF, patients taking Hg had longer duration of erections vs EM group (least square mean ± standard error 10.3±0.8 minutes vs. 7.7±0.7 minutes, and 10.3±0.8 vs. 7.8 ±1.0 minutes, respectively), and significant increases in EF-IIEF scores, the SEP3 response, and all sexual QoL items. An increased duration of intercourse was also observed. Female sexual QoL improved significantly. Both duration end points strongly correlated with EF-IIEF scores, and the three end points correlated well with SEP3 response. Correlation was good with sexual QoL scores in men and women and with duration of intercourse, with difference between groups only for duration end points. Safety was better in Hg than in EM group. Conclusions The results indicate that duration of erection represents a novel efficacy measures for evaluating those herbal supplements (HS), and could be used as a predictor or efficacy measure of sexual performance in couples affected by ED. With regard to the method of measuring duration, stopwatch method was shown to be reliable and capable of complementing traditional self-assessment efficacy methods for evaluating the efficacy of HS. Hg is the best to significantly improve: Duration of erection in men with ED and Sexual QoL, in both members of a couple affected by ED than EM Absolutely, Hg and EM: Increase duration of erection; Improve sexual pleasure. And, thereby improving the sexual QoL of the COUPLE. And, most important is that sexual couples don’t risk to be unfaithfulness. Disclosure No.

MP45-10 UNDERSTANDING THE SEXUAL HEALTH CONCERNS AND NEEDS OF FEMALE PARTNERS OF PROSTATE CANCER SURVIVORS

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023MP45-10 UNDERSTANDING THE SEXUAL HEALTH CONCERNS AND NEEDS OF FEMALE PARTNERS OF PROSTATE CANCER SURVIVORS Natasha Gupta, Laura Zebib, Daniela Wittmann, Christian Nelson, Carolyn Salter, John Mulhall, Nataliya Byrne, Tatiana Sanchez Nolasco, and Stacy Loeb Natasha GuptaNatasha Gupta More articles by this author , Laura ZebibLaura Zebib More articles by this author , Daniela WittmannDaniela Wittmann More articles by this author , Christian NelsonChristian Nelson More articles by this author , Carolyn SalterCarolyn Salter More articles by this author , John MulhallJohn Mulhall More articles by this author , Nataliya ByrneNataliya Byrne More articles by this author , Tatiana Sanchez NolascoTatiana Sanchez Nolasco More articles by this author , and Stacy LoebStacy Loeb More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003291.10AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Prostate cancer (PCa) and its treatments can have a significant negative impact on the sexual health of survivors and couples, but few studies have examined the impact of PCa-related sexual dysfunction on female partners of survivors. Our objective was to perform a qualitative study to characterize female partners’ sexual health concerns and unmet needs. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured telephone interviews about sexual health concerns and unmet needs among female partners of PCa survivors. Participants were recruited from multiple clinic locations and the USToo Forum for Her support group for PCa caregivers from September 2021 to March 2022. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants were recruited until thematic saturation was achieved. RESULTS: Among 12 participants, the median age was 65 years (range 53-81), 9 were white, the median time since their partner’s PCa diagnosis was 2.25 years (range 11 months-20 years). Overall, 8 participants reported that their partner had undergone radical prostatectomy, 7 radiation therapy, and 7 hormonal therapy. Major emergent themes pertained to the impact of age- and PCa-related sexual losses on female sexual quality of life, the dyadic nature of sexual dysfunction and recovery, the role of the partner in coping with and adjusting to PCa-related sexual dysfunction, difficulties communicating about sexual dysfunction within a couple, a lack of provider-led sexual health counseling and support, and the benefit of peer interactions and information-seeking in addressing unmet sexual health needs. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first study using in-depth interviews focused on female partners’ sexual health concerns both related to and independent of PCa survivor sexual health. We found that female partners experience PCa-related sexual dysfunction as a couple’s disease, grieve age- and PCa-related sexual losses, and desire provider-led sexual health counseling and information. Future efforts should continue to explore the impact of PCa on partner sexual health and address unmet needs. Source of Funding: This study was supported by an Idea Development Award from the Department of Defense (W81XWH2010380) and the Edward Blank and Sharon Cosloy-Blank Family Foundation. NG is supported by grant 5T32HS026120-04 from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the NYU Clinical and Translational Science Institute grant 5UL1TR001445. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Agency © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e625 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Natasha Gupta More articles by this author Laura Zebib More articles by this author Daniela Wittmann More articles by this author Christian Nelson More articles by this author Carolyn Salter More articles by this author John Mulhall More articles by this author Nataliya Byrne More articles by this author Tatiana Sanchez Nolasco More articles by this author Stacy Loeb More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Understanding the sexual health perceptions, concerns, and needs of female partners of prostate cancer survivors.

Prostate cancer (PCa) and its treatments can have a significant negative impact on the sexual health of survivors and couples, but few studies have specifically examined the impact of PCa-related sexual dysfunction on female partners of survivors. Our objective was to perform a qualitative study to comprehensively characterize female partners' perceptions of the implications of PCa on their sex lives, as well as partners' sexual health concerns and unmet needs. We conducted semi-structured telephone interviews about sexual health and unmet needs with female partners of PCa survivors recruited from multiple clinical locations and support groups for PCa caregivers from September 2021 to March 2022. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and independently coded. Participants were recruited until thematic saturation was achieved. Outcomes of this study were female partner sexual health concerns and unmet needs. Among 12 participants, the median age was 65 (range 53 to 81) years, 9 were White, the median time since their partner's PCa diagnosis was 2.25years (range 11months to 20years), and a majority reported that their partner had undergone radical prostatectomy, radiation, and/or hormonal therapy. Major emergent themes pertained to the significant impact of age- and PCa-related sexual dysfunction on female sexual quality of life, the dyadic nature of sexual dysfunction and recovery, the role of the partner in coping with and adjusting to sexual dysfunction, difficulties communicating about sexual dysfunction in an intimate relationship, a lack of physician-led sexual health counseling and support, and the benefit of peer interactions and proactive information seeking in addressing unmet sexual health needs. Future efforts should continue to explore the impact of PCa on partner sexual health and address unmet needs through sexual health education and support. In this study, we identified female partners' sexual health concerns both related to and independent of PCa survivor sexual health. Limitations include exclusion of male partners of survivors and potential responder bias, as partners who agreed to participate may have experienced more sexual health concerns. We found that female partners experience PCa-related sexual dysfunction as a couple's disease, grief due to age- and PCa-related sexual losses, and a lack of physician-led sexual health counseling and information. Our results highlight the importance of including partners of PCa survivors in the sexual recovery process and of developing sexual care programs to address partners' unmet sexual health needs.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Female Sexual Function Index and Female Behavioral Changes: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study in Thailand

Sexual health alterations are associated with disasters. Consequently, the COVID-19 pandemic may affect female sexual function. This study aimed to determine the COVID-19 pandemic effect on female sexual function and to know the risk of female sexual dysfunction. This online, cross-sectional, observational research was conducted during the pandemic period. A logistic regression model was used to investigate the associations between outcomes and potential risk factors. In total, 432 sexually active women participating in the region affected by the COVID-19 pandemic were analyzed. The overall findings of our study are that 60 percent of females were at risk for female sexual dysfunction. The average FSFI score was 21.27 ± 7.17. Comparing female sexual behavior before and during the COVID-19 pandemic reveals a significant decrease in the frequency of having sex per week, foreplay duration, and coital duration. In the multivariate analysis, the factors associated with the development of RFSD are age greater than 45 years (adjusted odds ratios (AOR) 15.09, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.67-62.07), body mass index (BMI) greater than 25 (AOR 3.26, 95%CI 1.23-8.67), jobs as a healthcare provider (AOR 8.45, 95%CI 3.66-19.53), previous COVID-19 infection within the previous three months (AOR 36.81, 95%CI 10.93-123.98), and screened-positive anxiety (AOR 13.07, 95%CI 4.75-35.94). COVID-19 influences female sexual behavior and may increase the risk of sexual dysfunction in women. Concern for the effects of female sexual quality of life in high-risk individuals is essential.

Predictors of women’s sexual quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic: An Iranian cross-sectional study

The present study was carried out to determine the predictors of women’s sexual quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 536 married women participated in a cross-sectional study utilizing convenience online sampling. Data were collected using a battery of psychometric scales and analyzed using stepwise multivariable linear regression. There was no significant difference in the female sexual quality of life based on COVID-19 infectious status (p = 0.92). Having independent living conditions (β = 0.49), less psychological distress (β = –0.42), higher frequency of monthly sexual intercourse (β = 0.20), and less sexual distress (β = –0.14) were significant predictors of good sexual quality of life among females. The findings indicate that reducing psychological and sexual distress would likely improve women’s sexual quality of life.

The effectiveness of “Women’s Postpartum Sexual Health Program (WPSHP)” on Iranian women’s postpartum sexual health: A randomized clinical trial

In this study, we examined the effectiveness of Women’s Postpartum Sexual Health Program (WPSHP) on Iranian women’s sexual health in the postpartum period. A single-blinded randomized clinical trial was conducted in 2016 on 80 postnatal women in Iran. We used the Female Sexual Function Index, Sexual Quality of Life - Female questionnaire and Female Sexual Distress Scale. The intervention group received counseling based on WPSHP. After 28 weeks, the mean score of the Female Sexual Function Index and Female Sexual Quality of Life significantly increased in the WPSH group (p < 0.001, p < 0.001), while the mean score of the Female Sexual Distress significantly decreased in the WPSH group (p < 0.001). We concluded that Women’s Postpartum Sexual Health Program could promote postnatal women’s sexual function and female sexual quality of life and reduces female sexual distress in women suffering from sexual problems in the postpartum period.

Effect of Stem Cell Infusion Therapy on Sexual Function in Men and Women with Type 2 Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome: Results from the ACESO & CERES Clinical Trials

ABSTRACT Introduction Despite growing interest in restorative therapies for sexual function, there exists a paucity of human research into potential therapeutic applications of stem cell therapy (SCT). Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) and its effects on sexual function have not yet been explored in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) and Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) Objective To determine the effect of stem cell infusion therapy on sexual function in men and women with DM or MetS. Methods We used International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-15) collected from men and Sexual Quality of Life Questionnaire-Female (SQOL-F) collected from women enrolled in the ACESO (NCT02886884) and CERES (NCT03059355) pilot/phase I clinical trials. Participants were enrolled in the trials based on diagnosis of DM or MetS, respectively, and endothelial dysfunction - defined as Brachial Artery Flow Mediated Vasodilation (FMD) &amp;lt;7%. Intervention in both trials was peripheral intravenous infusion of allogeneic MSCs. Follow-up was for 1 year. Questionnaires were collected at baseline and at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-months post-infusion. Participants received 20 or 100 million MSCs from either bone marrow (n=21) or umbilical cord (n=6). We performed subgroup analyses evaluating dose, source, and study diseases. Descriptive and analytic statistics were used to analyze the data. Results Data was pooled from 20 men and 7 women from the two trials. Overall, 14 received 100 million MSCs and 13 received 20 million MSCs. Median age was 61 [IQR=55-73] years. Incidence of hypertension, coronary artery disease, smoking and alcohol use were similar among each trial. Erectile dysfunction (ED) was defined by an IIEF-Erectile Function (IIEF-EF) sub-domain score ≤24 at baseline (n=16). Among men with ED, median IIEF-EF score at baseline was 5 [IQR=2-17], 6 [IQR=3-17] at 1 month, 3 [IQR=2-8] at 3 months, 4 [IQR=3-13] at 6 months, and 5.5 [IQR=2-16] at the end of 12 months (p=0.8127). Subgroup analyses revealed no changes in erectile function in either treatment dose. Similar patterns were found in other IIEF sub-domains, except median sexual desire score which increased among all men from 1-3 months post-infusion, then subsided from 6-12 months (p=0.4723). SQOL-f is a validated self-assessment questionnaire rated on a six-point scale in which higher scores reflect better female sexual quality of life. Median SQOL score among all women at baseline was 30 [IQR=19-50], 25 [IQR=23-36] at 1 month, 34 [IQR=19-46] at 3 months, 29 [IQR=21-32] at 6 months, and 34 [IQR=26-49] at the end of 12 months (p=0.8866). Main limitations of this study include the small sample size, sexual function was not a primary endpoint, and the absence of a placebo comparison arm. Conclusions Neither ED or SQOL appears to have improved following peripheral infusion of MSCs in patients with DM and MetS, but nevertheless appears to be safe with no decline in sexual function over 1 year. The optimal route, source, and dose of SCT to enact a meaningful change in sexual function in different patient populations has yet to be determined and deserves further research in future larger randomized clinical trials. Disclosure Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: Longeveron LLC

The Impact of Gynecological Surgeries on Female Sexual Quality of Life: A Prospective Cohort Study

Objective: To investigate the impact of benign gynecological surgeries on postoperative female sexual quality of life three months after the procedure.Patients and Methods: The present study was a prospective study that included women who underwent gynecological surgeries for benign lesion such as hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO), tubal ligation, anti-incontinence surgery, and pelvic organ prolapse reconstruction. All women were assessed using the sexual quality of life-female (SQOL-F) questionnaire.Results: One hundred and eighty-eight women were included. The most commonly performed procedure was hysterectomy (25%), followed by classical repair (21%) and myomectomy (7%). In addition, 78.19% of the women were multipara. Preoperatively, the mean SQOL-F total score was 56.04 ± 17.947, which increase significantly to reach 79.33 ± 17.645 at the end of the third month postoperatively (p <0.001). This significant difference was consistent regardless of the type of procedure. Regarding the domains of SQOL-F, there were statistically significant increases in the psychosexual feelings (21.16 ± 8.2 versus 30.49 ± 7.8, p <0.001), sexual and relationship satisfaction (16.71 ± 7.9 versus 21.88 ± 4.5, p <0.001), self-worthlessness (9.69 ± 3.5 versus 13.74 ± 3.13, p <0.001) and sexual repression (8.468 ± 3.7 versus 13.20 ± 3.9, p <0.001).Conclusion: In conclusion, most gynecological surgeries found to have positive impact on the female sexual function and quality of life. So that, sexual function should be taken into consideration in planning and preoperative counselling for gynecological surgery also post-operative follow-up.

Sexual quality of life, female sexual function, female genital self- and body image among women requesting genital cosmetic surgery: a comparative study

ABSTRACTFemale genital cosmetic surgery (FGCS) is increasingly becoming popular among Iranian women. This study aimed to assess the relationship between sexual quality of life, female genital self-image, body image and sexual function, in women requesting genital cosmetic surgery. A sample of 50 women seeking genital cosmetic surgery without any medical indications and 100 women as comparison group participated in the study. Participants were selected by convenience sampling. Hierarchical regression analysis was performed by four steps to indicate factors that contribute to the female sexual quality of life. The results showed that education, age, duration of marriage, female genital self-image, body image, sexual function jointly accounted for 60% of the variance in sexual quality of life score between two groups. Of these, sexual function and body image showed the greatest coefficients (β = 0.493 and 0.282, respectively) and significant relationship with sexual quality of life score, p < 0.001. This study is the first investigation that examines FGCS in Iran. The findings suggest that there is association between seeking cosmetic vaginal surgery and female sexual functioning and body image, and that these are related to female sexual quality of life. Perhaps improving these factors might lead to the decreased unnecessary female genital cosmetic surgeries.

General and sex profile of women with partner affected by premature ejaculation: results of a large observational, non-interventional, cross-sectional, epidemiological study (IPER-F).

Couple distress is a crucial point in premature ejaculation (PE). PE has been associated with significant bother, interpersonal problems, and dissatisfaction with sexual intercourse for both men and their partners. The primary objective of this study was to assess the effect of PE on female sexuality in female partners of men affected from PE. Secondary objectives were to assess the impact of PE on female sexual quality of life, to assess the presence of sexual problems of the male partner, and to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of comorbidities. Adult women aged 18 to 80years old, sexually active, were randomly sampled from the patient lists of General Practitioners in Italy and were included in this observational, non-interventional, cross-sectional epidemiological study. Subjects were asked to fill: a general questionnaire regarding anthropometric data, lifestyle, marital status, education, occupation, economic conditions, general health status, comorbidities, and sexual habits; the Sexual Quality of Life Questionnaire-Female (SQoL-F); the Female Sexual Distress Scale (FSDS-R-PE); the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS); and Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). In addition, females reported about their partner's ejaculation time and the presence of sexual dysfunctions. A total of 3,104 women were included. Mean age was 45.1years. Woman with PE partners presented a higher percentage of sexual dysfunction and reported more anxiety compared with female partners of men not affected from PE (42.69% vs. 20.56% and 30.95% vs. 15,34%, respectively). In addition, they referred more sexual dysfunction in their partners. Hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, arthritis, heart diseases, thyroid disease, a history of menopause, or hysterectomy resulted in significantly more prevalence in women with PE partners. Female partners of PE patients present an increased prevalence of sexual distress, a reduced quality of sexual life, and an increased anxiety score when compared to women whose partners are not affected from PE.

Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Female Sexual Quality of Life [22M]

INTRODUCTION: Sexual quality of life serves a prominent role in overall patient health and well-being. Adverse childhood events have been shown to not only factor into the development of chronic disease such as ischemic heart disease and cancer but to also negatively impact sexual health. Our study sought to determine the association between reported adverse childhood experiences and female sexual quality of life. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional survey study that included 100 women seeking care at a Cleveland Clinic Akron General obstetrical and/or gynecologic office in Akron, Ohio. Two validated surveys, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) and Sexual Quality of Life-Female (SQOL-F), were distributed to women age 18 and older. SQOL-F questionnaire items were organized into four sub-scales: psychosexual feelings, sexual and relationship satisfaction, self-worthlessness, and sexual repression. Spearman’s rank correlation was employed to determine the relationship between ACE scores and overall sexual quality of life and the four SQOL-F sub-scales. RESULTS: There was no significant correlation between ACE score and overall sexual quality of life. An increasing ACE score was significantly correlated to feelings of self-worthlessness and poor psychosexual feelings (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Data indicated that adverse childhood experiences do not play a role in the overall sexual quality of life for women however instead may influence self-confidence and personal perceptions towards sexual experiences. Primary care physicians should consider screening for adverse childhood experiences and possibly suggesting psychological interventions to improve patient perception of self and in turn improve sexual quality of life.

Duration of Erection: Does It Really Matter? A Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical Trial to Assess the Impact of Vardenafil ODT on Duration of Erection and Its Correlation with Patients' and Partners' Sexual Quality of Life and Duration of Intercourse: The VADEOPEN Study

Stopwatch-assessed duration of erection has been proposed as an objective and reliable efficacy end point for erectile dysfunction (ED) treatments. The aim of this study is to assess vardenafil orodispersible tablets' (ODTs) efficacy in terms of duration of erection and (i) its correlation with other efficacy end points and male and female sexual quality of life (QoL) and (ii) its impact on intercourse duration. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study comparing the efficacy and safety of vardenafil ODT 10 mg on-demand over 12 weeks in 127 patients with ED was carried out. Primary efficacy end points were stopwatch-assessed duration of erection (min) at any attempt and when leading to successful intercourse, and the erectile function domain of the International Index of Erectile Function (EF-IIEF) score. Secondary end points were sexual encounter profile (SEP) 3 response rate and male sexual QoL. End points in participating women (N = 46) were stopwatch-assessed duration of intercourse and sexual QoL. At week 12/last observation carried forward, patients taking vardenafil ODT had longer duration of erections (at any attempt or leading to successful intercourse) vs. placebo (least square mean ± standard error 10.2 ± 0.9 minutes vs. 7.9 ± 1.0 minutes, and 10.4 ± 0.8 vs. 8.3 ± 1.0 minutes, respectively), and significant increases in EF-IIEF scores, the SEP-3 response, and all sexual QoL items. An increased duration of intercourse was also observed. Female sexual QoL improved significantly. Both duration end points strongly correlated with EF-IIEF scores, and the three end points correlated well with SEP-3 response. Correlation was good with sexual QoL scores in men and women and with duration of intercourse, with differences between treatment groups only for duration end points. Safety was similar in both groups. This study provides further evidence for the consistency and reliability of the stopwatch-assessed duration of erection as an efficacy end point for ED treatments, with "duration of erection leading to successful intercourse" showing better properties than duration at any attempt.

The sexual quality of life-female (SQOL-F) questionnaire: translation and psychometric properties of the Iranian version.

BackgroundFemale sexual dysfunction is a common condition that extremely affects reproductive health and quality of life. To assess this health condition, a valid and reliable questionnaire is required. The aim of this study was to translate and validate the Sexual Quality of Life-Female (SQOL-F) questionnaire in Iran.MethodForward-backward procedure was applied to translate the questionnaire from English into Persian. After linguistic validation and pilot examination, a cross-sectional study was carried out and psychometric properties of the Iranian version of questionnaire were tested. One hundred reproductive aged, married, healthy and sexually active women completed the questionnaire. Reliability was assessed by internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha), and test-retest (intraclass correlation coefficient) analyses. In addition, content, and face validity were assessed and the factor structure of the questionnaire was extracted by performing exploratory factor analysis.ResultsThe mean age of participants was 33 (SD = 8.07) years, and the mean quality of sexual life score was 86.4 (SD = 1.78) ranging from 36 to 108. Most women were housewife (n = 92). Reliability evaluation revealed high internal consistency and good test-retest reliability. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.73 and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.88. The mean scores for the content validity index (CVI) and the content validity ratio (CVR) were 0.91 and 0.84, respectively. The results of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) indicated a four-factor solution for the questionnaire that jointly accounted for 60.8% of variance observed.ConclusionThe findings from this study suggest that the Iranian version of SQOL-F questionnaire has good psychometric properties and it will be useful to assess the female sexual quality of life in reproductive health care settings.

Sexual Quality of Life in Women Partnered with Men Using Intracavernous Alprostadil Injections After Radical Prostatectomy

The effects of intracavernous alprostadil injection (IAI), a primary treatment for post-radical prostatectomy (RP) erectile dysfunction (ED) (pRPED), on the sex life of women partnered with men who have undergone RP have received little attention. The aim of this study is to investigate the sexual quality of life in female partners of men receiving IAIs for pRPED. We retrospectively studied the sex lives of 152 women partnered with men who were being treated for pRPED with IAI and previously had normal erectile function. Women completed the Index of Sexual Life (ISL) questionnaire 1 year after their partner's RP. Male patients completed the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-15), the Erection Hardness Score (EHS) questionnaire, the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire (ICIQ), and the UCLA Prostate Cancer Index (UCLA-PCI) urinary function questionnaire. Penile pain was assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS). Statistical analysis was performed using t-tests, Spearman correlation, and multiple linear regression. Female sexual life satisfaction (SLS), sexual drive (SD), and general life satisfaction (GLS) were assessed using the ISL questionnaire. Mean ages for the 104 couples included were 62.3 and 59.8 years for the men and women, respectively. Mean ISL, SD, SLS, and GLS scores at 12 months were 25.4, 3.8, 14.1, and 7.5, respectively. ISL scores were strongly correlated with IIEF-15 domains, mainly erectile function (r > 0.41, P < 0.00002) and intercourse satisfaction (r > 0.27, P < 0.005). Age and VAS, ICIQ, and UCLA-PCI scores were negatively correlated with some ISL domains. IIEF-15 erectile function and intercourse satisfaction were the most significant domains predicting female SLS. An IIEF-15 erectile function of 25 corresponded to a 75% chance of an SLS score ≥18. Indexes of female sexual quality of life were low overall but were highly correlated with the partner's response level to IAI treatment. IAI-related pain, increased age, and poor urinary function of the male partner appear to negatively impact female sex life.