Sexual dysfunction in menopause

Document Type : Short Communication

Authors

1 Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing, & Midwifery, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

2 Instructure, Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing, & Midwifery, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

3 Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Background:  Regarding adverse effects of sexual dysfunctional in mental health of the menopause women and their families, the evaluation and detecting related factors to sexual dysfunctional in this period seems to be essential. Methods: In this analytic-descriptive cross sectional study, 174 married menopause women referring to health centers to receive health care were concluded. The data were collected through interviews by Beck depression standard test and locally (self) made questionnaires like the questionnaire of demographic characteristic, sexual knowledge, quality of relations with the spouse, and sexual dysfunctional (based on DSM-IV). Descriptive and inferential statistical methods, t-test, χ2 test and Mantel hanszel χ2 test all were used to analyze the data. Results: Our results showed that participant based variables such as: age, educational level, job, depression, sexual knowledge, and spouses' relations quality as well as some other variables like husbands' educational level, residing status, and economic status are associated with sexual dysfunction in menopausal period. The findings also showed that husband's age, spouses' age difference, husbands' job, marriage length, wives' weight, number of pregnancies and marriage status have no association with sexual dysfunctional in menopausal period. Conclusion: Hypoactive sexual disorder and sexual dysfunction can be affected by demographic characteristics, psychiatric disorders and lack of knowledge. Regarding to many psychological and community injuries caused by sexual dysfunctional, the role of health care professional in counseling and education is emphasized. Key words: Menopause, sexual dysfunctional, depression, sexual knowledge.