Here’s some piece of news that may particularly interest women. Study experts from Monash University have discovered that women who rate themselves as sexually satisfied seem to have scored higher on a survey for overall psychological well-being in contrast to sexually dissatisfied women.
This study was believed to have consisted nearly 295 pre- and post-menopausal women who were sexually active for more than twice a month. In addition, sexually satisfied women seem to have higher scores for ‘positive well-being’ and ‘vitality.’ Supposedly, the study also revealed a positive association between age and well-being. However, a negative association appears to have been seen for general health.
It was observed that the most frequently reported sexual problems in the area of consensual sexuality in women relate to sexual desire, interest, pleasure and satisfaction. Furthermore, most of them feel these are part of the overall sexual experience and may inseparably be related.
In contrast to studies of interventions for male erectile dysfunction, benefit of treatment in women with sexual dysfunction could perhaps not be measured simply by the frequency of sexual events. This is so, because women often continue to be sexually active in spite of a high level of sexual dissatisfaction. Thus, in latest studies, the frequency of self-reported satisfactory sexual events seems to have been used as the primary outcome.
In order to assess whether there appears to be a correlation between sexual satisfaction and well-being, a team of Australian expert’s recruited women from the community. These women were believed to be in the age group of 20 to 65 years. Also, they were noted to have self-identified as being satisfied or dissatisfied with their sexual function. Moreover, participants were asked questions which recognized whether they were pre- or post menopausal. It was observed that the recruitment was closed when there were an equal number of women in each of the four subgroups.
Lead author Dr Sonia Davison, of the Women’s Health Program at Monash University, Australia, stated that, “We wanted to explore the links between sexual satisfaction and wellbeing in women from the community, and to see if there was any difference between pre- and postmenopausal women.”
She further continued, “We found that women who were sexually dissatisfied had lower well-being and lower vitality. This finding highlights the importance of addressing these areas as an essential part of women’s healthcare, because women may be uncomfortable discussing these issues with their doctor.”
“The problem with interpreting this finding is that it is impossible to determine if dissatisfied women had lower well-being because they were sexually dissatisfied, or if the reverse is true, such that women who started with lower well-being tended to secondarily have sexual dissatisfaction. As such, pharmacotherapies aimed to treat sexual dysfunction may have secondary effects on well-being, and the reverse may be true,” adds Dr Davison.
“The fact that women who self-identified as being dissatisfied maintained the level of sexual activity reported most likely represents established behaviour and partner expectation,” says senior author of this study and Professor Susan Davis, also based at the Women’s Health Program at Monash University, Australia.
“It also reinforces the fact that frequency of sexual activity in women cannot be employed as a reliable indicator of sexual well-being,” continues Davis.
The findings of the study revealed that over 90 percent of women in this study reported their sexual activity seems to have involved a partner. Also, their sexual activity appears to have been initiated by their partner at least 50 percent of the time.
Dr. Irwin Goldstein, Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Sexual Medicine, said that, “We are proud to publish this extremely important study in women’s sexual health. This large study performed in the community emphasizes the role and importance of women’s sexual health in women’s overall health and well-being. Previous criticism equated physicians’ efforts to improve a woman’s satisfaction with her sexual life as medicalization.”
Dr. Goldstein further added that, “Dr. Davison’s and co-workers’ research will help health care professionals appreciate the need for overall women’s healthcare to include women’s sexual health care.”
It was observed that women’s sexual activity may have been affected by other factors. These factors include, partner’s presence or absence, partner health and sexual function. However, these factors were not addressed in this study.
The findings of the study have been published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.