TY - JOUR
T1 - Vulvovaginal atrophy is strongly associated with female sexual dysfunction among sexually active postmenopausal women
AU - Levine, Kristen B.
AU - Williams, Rachel E.
AU - Hartmann, Katherine E.
PY - 2008/7
Y1 - 2008/7
N2 - Objective: The relationship between vulvovaginal atrophy and female sexual dysfunction is unclear. We investigated this association among sexually active postmenopausal women. Design: The Menopause Epidemiology Study is a cross-sectional, population-based study of women 40 to 65 years old in the United States chosen from a source population selected by random digit dialing and probability sampling. We focused on sexually active postmenopausal women (N = 1,480) for our analyses. Vulvovaginal atrophy was defined as one or more of the following: vaginal dryness, itching, irritation; pain on urination; or pain or bleeding on intercourse. The Arizona Sexual Experience Survey was used to define female sexual dysfunction. Sexual dysfunction subtypes for desire, arousal, and orgasm difficulties were individually scored. We evaluated demographic, behavioral, reproductive history, and medication covariates for effect modification and confounding. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between vulvovaginal atrophy and female sexual dysfunction. Results: The prevalence of vulvovaginal atrophy (57%) and female sexual dysfunction (55%) was high. Women with female sexual dysfunction were 3.84 times more likely to have vulvovaginal atrophy than women without female sexual dysfunction (95% CI: 2.99-4.94). Hot flashes modified the association between vulvovaginal atrophy and desire difficulty. Educational level modified the association between vulvovaginal atrophy and arousal difficulty. Parity modified the association between vulvovaginal atrophy and orgasm difficulty. Conclusions: This large population-based study provides evidence of an association between vulvovaginal atrophy and overall female sexual dysfunction and its subtypes. Therapies aiming to reduce symptoms of one condition may also relieve symptoms of the other.
AB - Objective: The relationship between vulvovaginal atrophy and female sexual dysfunction is unclear. We investigated this association among sexually active postmenopausal women. Design: The Menopause Epidemiology Study is a cross-sectional, population-based study of women 40 to 65 years old in the United States chosen from a source population selected by random digit dialing and probability sampling. We focused on sexually active postmenopausal women (N = 1,480) for our analyses. Vulvovaginal atrophy was defined as one or more of the following: vaginal dryness, itching, irritation; pain on urination; or pain or bleeding on intercourse. The Arizona Sexual Experience Survey was used to define female sexual dysfunction. Sexual dysfunction subtypes for desire, arousal, and orgasm difficulties were individually scored. We evaluated demographic, behavioral, reproductive history, and medication covariates for effect modification and confounding. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between vulvovaginal atrophy and female sexual dysfunction. Results: The prevalence of vulvovaginal atrophy (57%) and female sexual dysfunction (55%) was high. Women with female sexual dysfunction were 3.84 times more likely to have vulvovaginal atrophy than women without female sexual dysfunction (95% CI: 2.99-4.94). Hot flashes modified the association between vulvovaginal atrophy and desire difficulty. Educational level modified the association between vulvovaginal atrophy and arousal difficulty. Parity modified the association between vulvovaginal atrophy and orgasm difficulty. Conclusions: This large population-based study provides evidence of an association between vulvovaginal atrophy and overall female sexual dysfunction and its subtypes. Therapies aiming to reduce symptoms of one condition may also relieve symptoms of the other.
KW - Epidemiology
KW - Female sexual dysfunction
KW - Menopause
KW - Postmenopausal
KW - Vaginal atrophy
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U2 - 10.1097/gme.0b013e31815a5168
DO - 10.1097/gme.0b013e31815a5168
M3 - Article
C2 - 18698279
AN - SCOPUS:51449106068
SN - 1072-3714
VL - 15
SP - 661
EP - 666
JO - Menopause
JF - Menopause
IS - 4
ER -