Prevalence and Types of Sexual Dysfunction Among Female Medical Students

Background: Sexuality is a complex phenomenon that is being influenced by psychological, nutritional as well as physiological factors. Its dysfunction includes desire, arousal, orgasmic and sex pain disorders. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of sexual dysfunction (SD) and risk factors in a cohort of both married and unmarried female students in UDS-Tamale. Methods: The Golombok Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS) was administered to 150 female students independent of age (mean±SD: single (24.1 ± 2.0) and married (29.6 ± 5.2)) domiciled in UDS-Tamale campus. Results: Out of a total of 150 questionnaires administered. 93 (62.0%) females returned the questionnaires, and 79 were complete and evaluable questionnaires. This represents 52.7% response rate. From this study, the age ranges as well as the mean (SD) of the age of the participants are 20 to 42 and 27.0 ± 4.8 years respectively. The mean duration of marriage is 4.6 ± 3.4 years. Majority of the studied participants are non-smokers (97.5%), do not consumed alcoholic beverages (67.1%), do not have any chronic disease (69.6%) and do not also have any family history of any chronic disease condition (55.7%). The mean income level, BMI as well as WHR are Ghc 590.1 ±406.9, 25.6 ± 3.5 kg m-2 and 0.8 ± 0.1 respectively. The prevalence of sexual dysfunction among the single respondent was 67.6%. The most prevalent areas of difficulties were: infrequency 81.1%, Avoidance 64.9%, non-communication 64.9%, dissatisfaction 64.9%, anorgasmia 62.2%, non-sensuality 56.8% and vaginismus 56.8%. The prevalence of sexual dysfunction among the married respondent was 54.8%. Sexual dysfunction is high in both single female (67.9%) and married female (54.8%) medical students in the study. Conclusion: Married females in the study were more obese than single females, and the married-obese group was associated with high sexual dysfunction. Notwithstanding this however, the single-normal females had more sexual dysfunction compared to the married-normal females. The SD in the females appear to be contributed mostly by infrequency and avoidance in the single female group, whereas by dissatisfaction and infrequency in the married female group.