Female sexual function varies over time and is dependent on partner-specific factors: a population-based longitudinal analysis of six sexual function domains

Background Most studies examining female sexual functions (FSFs) have used cross-sectional designs, not allowing for studying temporal stability and possible relationships between different FSFs over time. Our aim was to study these relationships using a longitudinal approach.Method The study sample consisted of 2173 Finnish women from two large-scale, population-based data collections 7 years apart. The Female Sexual Function Index was used. Analyses were further conducted separately for women in different relationship constellations.Results Standardized autoregressive paths ranged from 0.136 (sexual satisfaction) to 0.447 (orgasm function) in the full sample, suggesting that most of the variance in FSF was explained by something other than previous function. Orgasm, desire and satisfaction were the strongest predictors of other functions in the full sample and for women in the same relationship at both time points (higher orgasm function predicted higher function in other domains; greater sexual desire and satisfaction predicted lower function in other domains), however, with small effects sizes. For single women, orgasm function and sexual desire were the only significant autoregressive paths. Significant unidirectional cross-domain paths were found for women in the same relationship at both time points. One significant cross-domain path, not confirmed as unidirectional, was found for single women.Conclusions FSFs varied considerably over 7 years and relationship status was of importance when assessing temporal stability and cross-domain effects. Our results advocate tailored psychobehavioural treatment interventions for female sexual dysfunctions that take partner-specific factors into account.</div

Föräldraskap och neuropsykiatriskt funktionshinder : upplevelse och påverkan av diagnos

The aim in the study is to search for a deeper understanding of how parents experience a neurological diagnose of the child and how this affects the parenthood. Parenthood was seen in a systemtheoretical perspective as a social construction. The narrative method was used in two lifestory parentinterviews. The analysis was made from parenthood. The result formed stories about parenthood with children having neuropsyciatric functional disability who even came to be a woman’s struggle. Two stories became central, one about righteousness and commonship and one against diagnosis and network. The struggle for support and understanding from the surrounding network was central. There was also a fight between the network and the parent of the authority to decide the child’s normality. The parent and child early experience a segregation in society based on diagnose. Parents experienced insecurity and difficulties regarding dose and sideeffects in medication the child. The networks reception was central for the acceptance of diagnosis and for keeping the parentcompetence. The public debate of inherent or environment created doubt and insecurity. In the stories there was a tendency that the struggle went beside the child and parenthood and instead became a struggle for righteousness against society