TITLE:
Profile of Female Patients at a Sexology Ambulatory in the Brazilian Public Health System
AUTHORS:
Janete Vettorazzi, Edimárlei Gonsales Valério, Bruno Florentino Goldani, Thomas Lucas Toledo de Souza, Paula Capra, Bruno Ribeiro Bossardi, Mariana Hollmann Scheffler, Fernanda Santos Grossi, Luciana Segat
KEYWORDS:
Sexuality, Sexual Dysfunction, Public Health
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.8 No.12,
October
24,
2018
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Sexual problems are fairly common, and sexuality is an important
parameter of health and quality of life. However, only a few centers in Brazil
have ambulatories specialized in sexual dysfunction. This study was conducted
in a service that is a state reference for these pathologies. Methods: This study was conducted at the human sexuality ambulatory of a large public
hospital in southern Brazil. It was a cross-sectional descriptive study with
women attending at the first medical visit to the ambulatory of human sexuality in a
period of four years. Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaires with
both qualitative and quantitative questions were applied in all first medical
visits to the ambulatory. Results: The 153 women attending had a mean age of 40.9 (±12.9) years. The most frequent complaint was
“lack of desire” (56.8%), followed by pain in intercourse (25.4%) and lack of
pleasure or inability to achieve orgasm (12.4%). The prevalence of sexual
dysfunction (FSFI cut-off score 0.01). Conclusion: We conclude that women who seek care in sexuality are in the
perimenopausal period and that factors such as the number of children, age of
menopause and length of the relationship have a negative influence on
sexuality. The score for the self-assessment of sexuality could serve as an
initial screening for sexual dysfunction, since it is quick and easy to apply
in routine medical visits. However, more studies are required to compare the
FSFI and this score.