Female sexual dysfunction: a primary care perspective

To discuss the incidence and prevalence of sexual dysfunction among women, some common etiologies, and patient-provider relationships that seem to inhibit successful resolution of female sexual dysfunction.

A selective review of the literature on female sexual dysfunction, and an overview of assessment tools that can be used to evaluate and monitor its treatment.

Sexual dysfunction in women is a health issue often overlooked by medical personnel, but it is a topic of great importance to both the patient and her sexual partner(s). It has been well established that quality of sex, that is, satisfaction with one's sex life, is a major quality-of-life indicator. But specifically as concerns the female patient, the issue has been overlooked by much of the healthcare community, perhaps because the topic of female sexual dysfunction is multifaceted and complex in nature.

Clinicians have an obligation to develop self-awareness and clinical intuition to address the topic in the utmost professional manner.