ArticleThe journal of sexual medicine2014
The impact of multimorbidity on sexual function in middle-aged and older women: beyond the single disease perspective.
Article in The journal of sexual medicine, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers.
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Who cites it
18 citing papers in PubMed, 44 citations in OpenAlex.
- Beyond the bladder: incontinence-specific, physical, and psychological contributors to sexual function in women with urinary incontinence.The journal of sexual medicine · 2026Trial
- Sexual activity and vaginal symptoms in the postintervention phase of the Women's Health Initiative Hormone Therapy Trials.Menopause (New York, N.Y.) · 2018Trial
- Effects of vilazodone on sexual functioning in healthy adults: results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, and active-controlled study.International clinical psychopharmacology · 2017Trial
- Blood Pressure, Sexual Activity, and Dysfunction in Women With Hypertension: Baseline Findings From the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT).The journal of sexual medicine · 2016Trial
- Psychosocial determinants of sexual satisfaction in older adults with multimorbidity: a cross-sectional study.BMC geriatrics · 2026Article
- The qualitative experience of sexuality in ageing women: a narrative review.Frontiers in global women's health · 2026Review
- Conceptual Frameworks Linking Sexual Health to Physical, Mental, and Interpersonal Well-Being: A Comprehensive Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- The 2025 Menopausal Hormone Therapy Guidelines - Korean Society of Menopause.Journal of menopausal medicine · 2025Review
- Sexual Satisfaction Among Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Middle-Aged and Older Adults.Innovation in aging · 2023Article
- An estimation of patients at potential risk for drug-induced sexual dysfunction using pharmacy dispensing data.Family practice · 2021Article
- Pelvic floor muscle strength is correlated with sexual function.Investigative and clinical urology · 2021Article
- Decreased Sexual Desire among Middle-Aged and Old Women in China and Factors Influencing It: A Questionnaire-Based Study.Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM · 2021Article
- The 2020 Menopausal Hormone Therapy Guidelines.Journal of menopausal medicine · 2020Review
- A Longitudinal Study of Sexual Function in Women With Newly Diagnosed Inflammatory Bowel Disease.Inflammatory bowel diseases · 2019Article
- Evaluation of sexual dysfunction and female sexual dysfunction indicators in women with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Diabetology & metabolic syndrome · 2019Review
- Urine leakage during sexual activity among ethnically diverse, community-dwelling middle-aged and older women.American journal of obstetrics and gynecology · 2017Observational
- Sexual Satisfaction and the Importance of Sexual Health to Quality of Life Throughout the Life Course of U.S. Adults.The journal of sexual medicine · 2016Article
- Predictors of impact of vaginal symptoms in postmenopausal women.Menopause (New York, N.Y.) · 2016Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
introductionLittle is known about sexual activity and function in women with multiple chronic health conditions.
aimTo examine the impact of multimorbidity on sexual activity and function in middle-aged and older women.
methodsMultiethnic cross-sectional cohort of 1,997 community-dwelling women (mean age of 60.2 [±9.5] years) in California. Structured questionnaires assessed prior diagnoses of common cardiometabolic, colorectal, neuropsychiatric, respiratory, musculoskeletal, and genitourinary conditions.
main outcome measuresSexual desire, frequency of sexual activity, overall sexual satisfaction, and specific sexual problems (i.e., difficulty with arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and pain) were assessed by structured questionnaires.
resultsSeventy-one percent of women had two or more diagnosed chronic conditions. Fifty-nine percent reported low sexual desire, 53% reported less than monthly sexual activity, and 47% reported low overall sexual satisfaction. Multimorbidity was associated with increased odds of reporting low sexual desire (OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.06-1.17, per each additional chronic condition), less than monthly sexual activity (OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.05-1.17 per each additional condition), and low sexual satisfaction (OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.04-1.16 per each additional condition), adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, and partner status. Depression and urinary incontinence were each independently associated with low desire (OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.19-1.97, and OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.00-1.52, respectively), less than monthly sexual activity (OR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.06-1.83, and OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.02-1.62, respectively), and low sexual satisfaction (OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.14-1.93, and OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.11-1.73, respectively), adjusting for other types of conditions. After adjustment for total number of chronic conditions, age remained a significant predictor of low desire and less than monthly sexual activity, but not sexual satisfaction.
conclusionsWomen with multiple chronic health conditions are at increased risk for decreased sexual function. Depression and incontinence may have particularly strong effects on sexual desire, frequency of activity, and satisfaction in women, independent of other comorbid conditions. Women's overall sexual satisfaction may be more strongly influenced by multimorbidity than age.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.