Sexual Dysfunctions of HIV-Positive Men: Associated Factors, Pathophysiology Issues, and Clinical Management

Sexual dysfunctions in HIV-positive men are associated with an increase in risky sexual behavior and decreased adherence to antiretroviral drug regimens. Because of these important public health issues, we reviewed the literature on the pathophysiology, associated factors and clinical management of sexual dysfunction in HIV-positive men. The goal was to investigate the current research on these issues. Literature searches were performed in June 2011 on PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycInfo databases with the keywords “AIDS” and “sexual dysfunction” and “HIV” and “sexual dysfunction”, resulting in 54 papers. Several researchers have investigated the factors associated with sexual dysfunction in HIV-positive men. The association between sexual dysfunction and antiretroviral drugs, particularly protease inhibitors, has been reported in many studies. The lack of standardized measures in many studies and the varying study designs are the main reasons that explain the controversial results. Despite some important findings, the pathophysiology of sexual dysfunction in the HAART era still not completely understood. Clinical trials of testosterone replacement therapy have shown the treatment to be beneficial to the improvement of sexual dysfunctions related to hypogonadism. However, there are not enough psychological intervention studies to make conclusions regarding the therapeutic effects of psychotherapy

Sexual dysfunctions among people living with AIDS in Brazil

INTRODUCTION: Sexual dysfunction symptoms in patients with HIV have not been fully investigated in Brazil. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between sexual dysfunction symptoms and AIDS among participants in the Brazilian Sex Life Study. METHODS: The Brazilian Sex Life Study is a cross-sectional population study. The participants answered an anonymous self-responsive inquiry. It was applied to a population sample in 18 large Brazilian cities. Answers given by those who reported having AIDS (75) were compared with those who reported not having AIDS (control; 150). This was a case-control study nested in a cross-sectional population study. RESULTS: In females, AIDS was associated with "sexual inactivity over the last 12 months" and "does not maintain sexual arousal until the end of the sex act" (P < 0.05) after adjusting for race and thyroid disease. Compared to the control group, men with AIDS had more difficulty becoming sexually aroused (they required more help from their partner to begin the sex act, they required longer foreplay than they wished, they reported losing sexual desire before the end of the sex act, and they required longer to ejaculate than they desired) (P < 0.05). After adjusting for sexual orientation, sex hormone deficiency, depression, and alcoholism, only "does not have sexual desire," "have longer foreplay," and dyspareunia were associated with AIDS. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The results support the hypothesis that sexual dysfunctions are associated with AIDS. Men with AIDS need more time and stimulation to develop a sexual response, and a significant portion (37%) of women with AIDS reported sexual inactivity over the last 12 months

Pregnancy and Gestational Diabetes: a prejudicial combination to female sexual function?

To compare the sexual function of healthy adult pregnant women with that of gestational diabetes patients (GDM) in the third trimester. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled two groups of women managed antenatal care clinics. Inclusion criteria were: maternal age .20 years, gestational age at least 28 weeks, being in a heterosexual relationship with the same partner for at least 6 months, and being able to read. We excluded women with a medical recommendation for sexual abstinence due to clinical or obstetric disorders; hypertension controlled through medications; pregnancy resulting from rape; absent or sexually unavailable partner in the last month; hospital admission in the last month; use of vaginal creams in the last 30 days; multiple pregnancy, regular use of alcohol or illicit drugs or use of medications that can interfere with sexual function. Eighty-seven patients fulfilled the selection criteria and were included in the study. The Sexual Quotient . Feminine Version (QS-F) questionnaire was used to assess sexual function. Student's t and X² tests were used to compare differences between groups and p<0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: The mean gestational age of the participants was 34 weeks. There were no significant differences in the mean QS-F scores between groups (62.5 healthy vs 62.8 GDM women, p=0.9). Approximately half the participants (47 and 47.5% of the healthy and GDM women, respectively, p=0.9) had total scores up to 60, indicative of dysfunction in one of the assessed domains (desire, sexual satisfaction, arousal, orgasm, dyspareunia and vaginismus). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of sexual dysfunction was high among women in the third trimester of pregnancy and did not differ significantly between healthy women and women with GDM.OBJETIVO: Comparar a funcao sexual de gravidas adultas saudaveis a de mulheres com Diabetes Mellitus Gestacional (DMG) no terceiro trimestre da gravidez. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal com dois grupos de gestantes em acompanhamento pre-natal. Foram criterios de inclusao: idade materna .20 anos, idade gestacional .28 semanas, relacionamento heterossexual com o mesmo parceiro ha pelo menos 6 meses e ser alfabetizada. Os criterios de exclusao foram: presenca de intercorrencias clinicas e/ou obstetricas que contraindicassem atividade sexual; hipertensao arterial controlada por medicamentos; gravidez resultante de estupro; parceiro sexualmente indisponivel ou ausente no ultimo mes; internacao hospitalar no ultimo mes; uso de cremes vaginais nos ultimos 30 dias; gestacao gemelar; uso regular de alcool e/ou drogas ilicitas; uso de medicamentos que interferissem na funcao sexual. Oitenta e sete pacientes preencheram os criterios de selecao e participaram do estudo. Para avaliacao da funcao sexual destes grupos utilizou-se o questionario Quociente Sexual . Versao Feminina (QS-F). Testes X² e t de Student foram utilizados para comparar diferencas entre os grupos, com valores p<0,05 considerados estatisticamente significantes. A analise estatistica foi realizada com o software Instat 3. RESULTADOS: A idade gestacional media nos dois grupos era de 34 semanas. Nao foram detectadas diferencas significantes nos escores medios totais do QS-F nos dois grupos (62,5 saudaveis vs 62,8 DMG, p=0,9). Aproximadamente metade das participantes (47 e 47,5% das saudaveis e DMG, respectivamente, p=0,9) teve escores totais de ate 60 na escala do QS-F, o que indica comprometimento em algum dos dominios avaliados (desejo e satisfacao sexual, excitacao, orgasmo, dispareunia e vaginismo). CONCLUSÕES: A prevalencia de comprometimento do desempenho sexual foi alta em gestantes no terceiro trimestre, nao diferindo significativamente entre mulheres saudaveis e aquelas com DMG.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de MedicinaUniversidade de São Paulo Faculdade de Medicina Departamento de PsiquiatriaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Departamento de PsiquiatriaUniversidade de São Paulo Faculdade de Medicina Instituto de Psiquiatria do Hospital das ClínicasUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Departamento de ObstetríciaUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de PsiquiatriaUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de ObstetríciaSciEL

Compulsive sexual behavior disorder in 42 countries: Insights from the International Sex Survey and introduction of standardized assessment tools

© 2023 The Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/Background and aims Despite its inclusion in the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases, there is a virtual paucity of high-quality scientific evidence about compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD), especially in underrepresented and underserved populations. Therefore, we comprehensively examined CSBD across 42 countries, genders, and sexual orientations, and validated the original (CSBD-19) and short (CSBD-7) versions of the Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder Scale to provide standardized, state-of-the-art screening tools for research and clinical practice. Method Using data from the International Sex Survey (N = 82,243; Mage = 32.39 years, SD = 12.52), we evaluated the psychometric properties of the CSBD-19 and CSBD-7 and compared CSBD across 42 countries, three genders, eight sexual orientations, and individuals with low vs. high risk of experiencing CSBD. Results A total of 4.8% of the participants were at high risk of experiencing CSBD. Country- and gender-based differences were observed, while no sexual-orientation-based differences were present in CSBD levels. Only 14% of individuals with CSBD have ever sought treatment for this disorder, with an additional 33% not having sought treatment because of various reasons. Both versions of the scale demonstrated excellent validity and reliability. Discussion and conclusions This study contributes to a better understanding of CSBD in underrepresented and underserved populations and facilitates its identification in diverse populations by providing freely accessible ICD-11-based screening tools in 26 languages. The findings may also serve as a crucial building block to stimulate research into evidence-based, culturally sensitive prevention and intervention strategies for CSBD that are currently missing from the literature.Peer reviewe

Psychometric properties of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) across cross-cultural subgroups, genders, and sexual orientations: Findings from the International Sex Survey (ISS)

Introduction. Despite being a widely used screening questionnaire, there is no consensus on the most appropriate measurement model for the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Furthermore, there have been limited studies on its measurement invariance across cross-cultural subgroups, genders, and sexual orientations. Aims. The present study aimed to examine the fit of different measurement models for the AUDIT and its measurement invariance across a wide range of subgroups by country, language, gender, and sexual orientation. Methods. Responses concerning past-year alcohol use from the participants of the cross-sectional International Sex Survey were considered (N = 62,943; Mage: 32.73; SD = 12.59). Confirmatory factor analysis, as well as measurement invariance tests were performed for 21 countries, 14 languages, three genders, and four sexual-orientation subgroups that met the minimum sample size requirement for inclusion in these analyses. Results. A two-factor model with factors describing ‘alcohol use’ (items 1–3) and ‘alcohol problems’ (items 4–10) showed the best model fit across countries, languages, genders, and sexual orientations. For the former two, scalar and latent mean levels of invariance were reached considering different criteria. For gender and sexual orientation, a latent mean level of invariance was reached. Conclusions. In line with the two-factor model, the calculation of separate alcohol-use and alcohol-problem scores is recommended when using the AUDIT. The high levels of measurement invariance achieved for the AUDIT support its use in cross-cultural research, capable also of meaningful comparisons among genders and sexual orientations

The short version of the Sexual Distress Scale (SDS-3): Measurement invariance across countries, gender identities, and sexual orientations

© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/Background The three-item Sexual Distress Scale (SDS-3) has been frequently used to assess distress related to sexuality in public health surveys and research on sexual wellbeing. However, its psychometric properties and measurement invariance across cultural, gender and sexual subgroups have not yet been examined. This multinational study aimed to validate the SDS-3 and test its psychometric properties, including measurement invariance across language, country, gender identity, and sexual orientation groups. Methods We used global survey data from 82,243 individuals (Mean age=32.39 years; 40.3 % men, 57.0 % women, 2.8 % non-binary, and 0.6 % other genders) participating in the International Sexual Survey (ISS; https://internationalsexsurvey.org/) across 42 countries and 26 languages. Participants completed the SDS-3, as well as questions regarding sociodemographic characteristics, including gender identity and sexual orientation. Results Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported a unidimensional factor structure for the SDS-3, and multi-group CFA (MGCFA) suggested that this factor structure was invariant across countries, languages, gender identities, and sexual orientations. Cronbach's α for the unidimensional score was 0.83 (range between 0.76 and 0.89), and McDonald's ω was 0.84 (range between 0.76 and 0.90). Participants who did not experience sexual problems had significantly lower SDS-3 total scores (M = 2.99; SD=2.54) compared to those who reported sexual problems (M = 5.60; SD=3.00), with a large effect size (Cohen's d = 1.01 [95 % CI=-1.03, -0.98]; p < 0.001). Conclusion The SDS-3 has a unidimensional factor structure and appears to be valid and reliable for measuring sexual distress among individuals from different countries, gender identities, and sexual orientations.Peer reviewe

Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder in 42 Countries: Insights from the International Sex Survey and Introduction of Standardized Assessment Tools

Background and aims: Despite its inclusion in the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases, there is a virtual paucity of high-quality scientific evidence about compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD), especially in underrepresented and underserved populations. Therefore, we comprehensively examined CSBD across 42 countries, genders, and sexual orientations, and validated the original (CSBD-19) and short (CSBD-7) versions of the Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder Scale to provide stan- dardized, state-of-the-art screening tools for research and clinical practice. Method: Using data from the International Sex Survey (N 5 82,243; Mage 5 32.39 years, SD 5 12.52), we evaluated the psychometric properties of the CSBD-19 and CSBD-7 and compared CSBD across 42 countries, three genders, eight sexual orientations, and individuals with low vs. high risk of experiencing CSBD. Results: A total of 4.8% of the participants were at high risk of experiencing CSBD. Country- and gender-based differences were observed, while no sexual-orientation-based differences were pre- sent in CSBD levels. Only 14% of individuals with CSBD have ever sought treatment for this disorder, with an additional 33% not having sought treatment because of various reasons. Both versions of the scale demonstrated excellent validity and reliability. Discus- sion and conclusions: This study contributes to a better under- standing of CSBD in underrepresented and underserved populations and facilitates its identification in diverse populations by providing freely accessible ICD-11-based screening tools in 26 languages. The findings may also serve as a crucial building block to stimulate research into evidence-based, culturally sensitive pre- vention and intervention strategies for CSBD that are currently missing from the literature