SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION AMONG FEMALE CIVIL SERVANTS IN IBADAN, OYO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Female sexual dysfunction is a deviation from a healthy sex life with biopsychosocial origin. Sexual dysfunction have been well researched in men with a dearth of studies done on female sexual dysfunction in Nigeria. Most studies done on FSD have been hospital based, however this study sets out to determine the prevalence of FSD in a government institution as well as determine the predisposing factors and the help-seeking behaviour of the women towards this condition. This was a cross-sectional study carried out among 720 women working at the Oyo State secretariat, who were selected using a multi-stage sampling method, completed a self administered, structured questionaires, which included the socio-demographic and family characteristics, the medical and sexual history as well as the female sexual index tool (FSFT) with scores ≤ 26.55 considered as sexual dysfunction. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and associations were investigated with CHi-square test and logistics regression at p value ≤0.05. Mean age of the respondents was 39.47+10.43 years. The prevalence of FSD was 70.4% while those with desire problems were 91.2%. Disorder of arousal was found to be prevalent in 93.5% women, lubrication dysfunction 93.4% while orgasmic and pain disorders were 78.3 and 77.9% respectively. The lowest prevalence was amongst those with satisfaction disorder which was 54.1%. Lower educational attainment, duration of marriages, older age of the children, number of wives, living in the same house with the spouse or partner, irregularity of the menstrual cycle and being hypertensive were factors found to be associated with FSD. Circumcision and previous sexual assault were not significant associated. Predictors of FSD were advancing age in women (OR 3.25; 95% CI= 1.60-6.62), attaining menopause (OR- 3.12; 95% CI= 1.245-7.80) and women who perceived excessive sexual demands from their spouses were also found to have a higher tendency to developing FSD (OR- 3.56; 95% C.I.= 1.65-7.66). Also presence of intimate partner violence was a predictor of FSD (OR-2.05; 95% CI =1.35-3.13). Frequent sexual activity between the women and her sexual partner occurring at least thrice a week (OR-0.54; 95% CI=0.414-0.726) or sexual exposure in at least a month (OR-023; 95% C.I= 0.12-0.457) and good communication with spouse (OR-0.20; 95% C.I =0.080-0.498) were protective against developing FSD. A third of women who are sexually dissatisfied are willing to seek help from their health care provider. Prevalence of female sexual dysfunction was high. There is need for health care providers to seek for this problem among women in order to assist this suffering from FSD.