Prevalence of Sexual Dysfunction in Females Suffering from Depression in a Tertiary Care Centre in Western U.P.

Abstract

Background: There is a need to explore the sexual functioning of women with depression as one part of sexuality
is that it helps in developing an intimate emotional and physical relationship with another person, and this
relationship may serve as a buffer against life stresses. Our aim was to study the prevalence and types of sexual
dysfunction in depressed women patients and to compare them with non-depressed women.
Materials and Methods: A total of 270 participants who attended a teaching hospital were selected for the
study – 135 cases and 135 controls. Sociodemographic and clinical details were collected. Mini International
Neuropsychiatry Interview (M.I.N.I), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Arizona Sexual Experiences
(ASEX) scale, and Female Sexual Functioning Index (FSFI) scale were used. Sexual dysfunction was assessed in
both groups.
Results: Among the cases, 47.40% had mild depression, 44.44% had moderate depression, and 8.15% were severely
depressed. On the ASEX, 46.66% of the cases had sexual dysfunction, while it was only 8.89% among the controls.
The difference in sexual dysfunction among cases and controls was statistically significant. Using the FSFI, 40% of
the cases had female sexual dysfunction (FSD), and it was only 11.1% in controls.
Conclusion: Sexual dysfunction was more common in females with clinical depression than in those without
depression. Numerous factors can operate in the causation of FSD. This study underlines the importance of
screening females with depression for FSD, for its early diagnosis and management.