Sexual Satisfaction; Prevalence, Cofactors and its Relation to Mental Health of Egyptian Married Women

Ibrahem, Reda Abdel Latif; Soliman, Shaimaa Sherif; Shehata, Wafaa Ahmed; EL Sheikh, Ghadeer Maher Mohammad

doi:10.21608/ejhm.2023.279532

Sexual Satisfaction; Prevalence, Cofactors and its Relation to Mental Health of Egyptian Married Women

Authors

¹ 1Public Health and Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Egypt.

² 1Public Health and Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Egypt

³ Dermatology, Andrology and STDs Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Egypt

10.21608/ejhm.2023.279532

Abstract

Background: Sexual satisfaction not only leads to one’s marital satisfaction but also plays a crucial role in psychological well-being and overall satisfaction with life of married individuals.
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and cofactors of sexual satisfaction, as well as its relationship to mental health in Egyptian married women.
Participants and methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was carried out on 256 married females selected from attendants of two healthcare centers in Menoufia governorate, Egypt. Sexual satisfaction among the participant women was assessed using Married Women Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire (MWSSQ) while their mental health was evaluated using the 28-items General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28).
Results: Using MWSSQ revealed that 9.8%, 82% and 8.2% of participants were sexually dissatisfied, moderately satisfied and highly satisfied respectively. Regarding mental status of participants, GHQ-28 scale showed that 48% of them were of good mental health, 38.3% were of poor mental health and 13.7% were of very poor mental health. There was a significant relationship between worsening mental status and decreased sexual satisfaction (P<0.0001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that husband age, women education and socioeconomic standard were independent risk factors for sexual dissatisfaction.
Conclusion: Women's sexual satisfaction and their mental wellbeing are intimately related, so it is recommended to implement effective and appropriate sexual education programs that will raise women's awareness and lessen the suffering of those who are impacted.