Female sexual dysfunction: are urogynecologists ready for it?

Area of Science:

• Urogynecology
• Sexual Health
• Medical Practice Assessment

Background:

• Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is a prevalent concern impacting women's quality of life.
• Current clinical practices for addressing FSD among urogynecologists require evaluation.
• Understanding practice variations between professional societies can inform targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the current practices of British Society of Urogynaecology (BSUG) members regarding female sexual dysfunction (FSD).
• To compare FSD screening and management practices between BSUG and American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS) members.
• To identify barriers to FSD assessment in clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous, web-based electronic questionnaire was distributed to 150 BSUG members.
• Response frequencies were analyzed, and chi-square tests were used to assess associations with demographics.
• Data from BSUG members were compared with available data from AUGS members.

Main Results:

• Only 50% of BSUG members regularly screened for FSD during clinic visits, compared to 77% of AUGS members.
• Post-surgical FSD screening rates were 49.5% for BSUG members versus 76% for AUGS members.
• The primary barrier identified was lack of time, and 76% found FSD training unsatisfactory.

Conclusions:

• FSD is not consistently integrated into routine clinical practice for a significant portion of BSUG members.
• There is a clear need for enhanced undergraduate and postgraduate education and training in FSD for urogynecologists.
• Addressing time constraints and improving training are crucial for better FSD management.