medwireNews: Researchers find women with type 1 diabetes report a high rate of sexual dysfunction, which may be linked to psychosocial issues.
Sexual dysfunction was reported by 50.3% of 171 women (average age 39 years) with type 1 diabetes attending a single outpatient clinic, compared with 35.0% of 60 control women of similar age, equating to a significant 1.93-fold increased risk after accounting for menopausal status, recent urinary or genital infection, and depression.
Sexual function was assessed on the 19-item Female Sexual Function Index scale, with a score of 26.55 or higher out of a possible 36.0 indicating sexual dysfunction. Women who reported sexual dysfunction were significantly more likely to report symptoms of diabetes distress and/or depression than other women.
“This supports the hypothesis that psychological and psychosocial aspects might play an important role in the sexual health among women with [type 1 diabetes],” write Anne Haugstvedt (Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen) and study co-authors in Diabetic Medicine.
“There was no clear association between sexual dysfunction and the presence of chronic physical diabetes complications in this study,” they add.
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