References
Empowering the woman: a comprehensive model of sexual anti-ageing
Abstract
Female ageing is associated with sexual decline and well-documented symptoms of decreased metabolism, increased visceral fat deposits, decreased mobility, increased incidence of body aches and impaired self-confidence, which can lead to depression, marital dissatisfaction, conflicts or apathy. Sexual decline becomes more prominent with diabetic females suffering from neuropathy that is usually a challenge, since traditional methods usually offer temporary pain relief. Hormone replacement interventions treat only part of the systemic hormonal imbalance problem, ignoring the fact that disruption in the hormonal network signifies a disruption in the entire microcosmos of cellular communications leading to bio-disorganisation and health deterioration. New vaginal rejuvenation methods aspire to resolve a complex psychophysiological issue by merely improving vaginal laxity and dyspareunia, via invasive or minimally invasive methods that often reduce sexual sensation for women, while increasing male satisfaction during intercourse. Here, we offer a more comprehensive model of female sexuality, and discuss two new research studies performed entirely on female subjects. Both studies are discussed with respect to the multi-faced, psychophysiological, composite of female sexuality, which cannot show meaningful improvement without treating both its physiological and psychological components.
Sexual dysfunction among women is between 25% to 63%, and this number dramatically increases in postmenopausal women to 68% to 86.5% (Frank et al, 1978). Recent research indicates that only 56% of married women aged over 60 years (compared to 75% of men) are sexually active (Addis et al, 2006).
Neuropathy affects up to 50% type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients, further compromising female sexuality. A study by Elyasi et al (2015) investigated 150 women with type 2 diabetes, using the female sexual index dysfunction (FSFI) questionnaire and the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) questionnaires. The FSFI is a validated brief 19-item self-report measure of female sexual function that provides scores on six domains: desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain. Elyasi et al found that prevalence of sexual dysfunction was 78.7% in diabetes female patients. Among these, 58% indicated problems in lubrication, 50% showed decreased sexual desire, 50% arousal problems and 47.3% dyspareunia.
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