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Relationship between hypoactive sexual desire disorder and aging.
Richard D Hayes1, Lorraine Dennerstein, Catherine M Bennett
1Office for Gender and Health, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Australia. r.hayes@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au <r.hayes@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au>
Fertility and Sterility
|November 4, 2006
Summary
Low sexual desire increases with age, but distress about it decreases, meaning Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) prevalence remains stable. This study explores the HSDD and aging association in women across Europe and the USA.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Psychology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) is defined by low sexual desire and personal distress.
- Aging is often anecdotally associated with changes in sexual function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between aging and Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) in women.
- To determine if HSDD prevalence changes significantly with age.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 1998 European and 1591 US women aged 20-70.
- Validated questionnaires assessed sexual desire and personal distress.
- HSDD was diagnosed based on the presence of both low desire and distress.
Main Results:
- Low sexual desire increased with age, from 11% (20-29 yrs) to 53% (60-70 yrs) in European women.
- Distress regarding low desire decreased with age, from 65% (20-29 yrs) to 22% (60-70 yrs) in European women.
- HSDD prevalence remained constant across age groups (6-13% Europe, 12-19% USA).
Conclusions:
- The increasing prevalence of low desire with age is offset by decreasing distress.
- HSDD prevalence does not significantly change with age.
- This finding may explain the lack of a reported association between HSDD and aging in existing literature.
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