Sexual function and intimate partner violence in middle-aged women: a community-based, dual-focus study in Spain

To evaluate the association between sexual function and intimate partner violence (IPV) among sexually active, middle-aged women in Spain, examining each outcome in separate cross-sectional models.

This cross-sectional study included 451 women (40-64 y) randomly recruited from primary care settings in southeastern Spain. Participants completed the 6-item Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI-6), the Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST), and a general sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire. Factors associated with low sexual function and a positive IPV screen were analyzed using generalized linear models of the Poisson family to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR).

The mean age of participants was 50.09±7.05 years. The prevalence of low sexual function (FSFI-6 score ≤19) was 33.7%, and the prevalence of a positive IPV screen (WAST score ≥14) was 16.6%. Low sexual function was higher among women with a positive IPV screen compared with those without (77.3% vs. 25.0%, P<0.001). In the multivariate model, a positive IPV screen was related to a higher prevalence of low sexual function (aPR: 2.57; 95% CI: 2.04-3.25). Conversely, low sexual function was linked to a positive IPV screen (aPR: 4.67; 95% CI: 2.78-7.85). Spanish Roma ethnicity was also associated with IPV (aPR: 3.51; 95% CI: 2.14-5.74).

Low sexual function and a positive IPV screen were statistically associated in this community-based sample of middle-aged women. A higher prevalence of IPV was observed among certain ethnic minorities. These associations persisted after adjustment for sociodemographic and clinical factors.