PREVALENCE OF SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION IN WOMEN UNDERGOING PAP SMEAR COLLECTION AND MOLECULAR DETECTION OF HPV IN UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL OF RIO GRANDE DO NORTE
Sexual dysfunction; female sexual dysfunction, women’s health; sexual health; psychological aspects.
Satisfactory sexual function in women is closely linked to their health and quality of life. Diagnoses such as HPV can have a negative impact on a woman’s emotional health, interfering with the expression of sexuality and causing feelings of shame or fear, exacerbating anxiety and stress. A cross-sectional study was conducted with the aim of assessing the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in adult women treated at a university hospital in Natal/RN. Sixty-eight sexually active women in stable relationships, aged between 18 and 45 years, were included in the study and recruited from the gynecology outpatient clinic for cervical cytology and molecular detection of Papillomavirus (HPV). Two validated instruments, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Sexual Quotient – Female Version (SQ-F), were used to identify sexual dysfunction, along with a sociodemographic data sheet collecting information on age, race, education, length of union/marriage, number of sexual partners, among others. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS software (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, Chicago, USA) version 28. The prevalence of sexual dysfunction was 47.1% considering the scores obtained by FSFI and 25% with the scores of SQ-F. There was a significant correlation only with the education variable, indicated by a higher prevalence of sexual dysfunction among women who completed high school compared to those with incomplete or complete higher education. Therefore, in this observational study, the prevalence of sexual dysfunction was high, with almost half of the women presenting a disorder when evaluated with FSFI. Furthermore, the prevalence ratio of dysfunction was significantly higher in the group of women with education up to high school, regardless of the instrument used for identification. Thus, it is demonstrated that women seeking routine gynecological care may present sexual dysfunctions. However, they often do not receive a diagnosis, as doctors focus on prevention and control of infections or lesions, rarely investigating sexual behavior. The conduct of multicenter observational studies is necessary to establish a more accurate epidemiology and to develop strategies for including protocols for assessing sexual function in women’s health.