Incidence and Persistence/Recurrence of Women's Sexual Difficulties: Findings From the Australian Longitudinal Study of Health and Relationships

Abstract

This study presents data on the prevalence, incidence, and persistence/recurrence of 8 sexual difficulties among women. Australian women participated in 2 computer-assisted interviews approximately 12 months apart. Analyses were based on a weighted sample of 2,252 women who were 20-64 years of age, sexually active in the past 12 months, and in the same heterosexual relationship at both interviews. Upon recruitment, two-thirds of women (66%) reported having one or more sexual difficulties. At follow-up, 36% reported a new sexual difficulty. The two highest incident difficulties were "lacking interest in having sex" (26%) and "taking too long to orgasm" (11%). In addition, 68% of women with 1 or more sexual difficulties at recruitment reported having at least 1 of these again at follow-up. Lacking interest in having sex had the highest persistence/recurrence (65%). Logistic regression modeling revealed a lower incidence of sexual difficulties among women in their 40s. Age was also a predictor of the persistence/recurrence, with persistence/recurrence most likely among older women. Tobacco and alcohol use predicted the incidence, but not persistence/recurrence, of lacking interest in sex. Health professionals need to take note of the sociodemographic groups most prone to developing and having persistent/recurrent sexual difficulties.

Painful sex (dyspareunia) in women: prevalence and associated factors in a British population probability survey

“…reported prevalence of pain during sex ranging from 21% among women aged 18–29 years to 8% among women aged 50–59 years 26. The Australian Longitudinal Study of Health and Relationships, measuring painful sex lasting ≥1 month in the past year, estimated a prevalence of 10% among women aged 20–64 years 27. Our estimates were slightly lower than this, and decreased further when stricter morbidity criteria were used (see also ref.…”

Incidence and Prevalence of Sexual Dysfunction in Women and Men: A Consensus Statement from the Fourth International Consultation on Sexual Medicine 2015

“…3 Results from an Australian study found that 36% of women reported at least one new sexual difficulty during the previous 12 months. 4 Lacking interest in having sex had the highest incidence of 26%, followed by taking too long to orgasm (11%), being unable to come to orgasm (10%), trouble with vaginal dryness (9%), not finding sex pleasurable (8%), feeling anxious about the ability to perform sexually (6%), experiencing physical pain during intercourse (5%), and coming to orgasm too quickly (2%). Interestingly, women in their 20s and 30s were just as likely as older women to develop two new sexual difficulties in the 12-month study period, namely lack of interest in having sex and not finding sexual pleasurable.…”

A Swiss Longitudinal Study of the Prevalence of, and Overlap Between, Sexual Problems in Men and Women Aged 20 to 50 Years Old

“…In Australia up to 60.9% of women in the age group of 30 to 39 reported lack of interest in having sex for at least one month in the previous year to the study (Richters et al, 2003). In a more recent Australian study between 48% and 54% of women across all age groups reported this problem (Smith et al, 2012). Differences between studies might be attributable to the subjective evaluation of normal sexual desire in the present study.…”

“…Another study using a representative Australian sample and computer-assisted telephone interviews showed that 24.9% of the men and 54.8% of the women aged 16 to 59 years experienced lack of interest in having sex, making it the most frequently reported sexual difficulty (Richters, Grulich, de Visser, Smith, & Rissel, 2003). More recent data from Australia reported prevalences of 66% in women and 34% in men for at least one sexual difficulty at the time of the investigation (Smith et al, 2012;Smith et al, 2013). In the U.S. National Health and Social Life Survey (Laumann, Paik, & Rosen, 1999), 43% of the women and 31% of the men reported one or more sexual problems over the previous 12 months (Laumann et al, 1999).…”

“…Also, there are virtually no longitudinal studies following the development and course of sexual problems, and those which have been done cover a rather short time span (Dennerstein, Guthrie, Hayes, DeRogatis, & Lehert, 2008;Lewis et al, 2010;Smith et al, 2012;Smith et al, 2013). Previous surveys have rarely assessed distress about sexual difficulties; although when distress has been assessed this markedly reduces prevalence rates of sexual problems (Beutel et al, 2008;Laumann et al, 1999;Smith et al, 2012;Smith et al, 2013). In the current study distress associated with sexual problems was assessed.…”