Frequency of sexual dysfunction and its causative factors among diabetic women in Turkey

OBJECTIVE To determine the frequency of sexual dysfunction and its causative factors among the diabetic women. METHODS The sample of the research was made up of 200 diabetic women selected using simple-random sampling who went to endocrinology poly clinics for counseling and treatment. The data were gathered with Data Collection Form for Women's Descriptive Characteristics designed by the researchers using the information in literature, Female Sexual Function Index and Beck Depression Inventory. The data were assessed with percentages, arithmetic means, standard deviation and ANOVA test in computer environment. RESULTS Out of two hundred diabetic patients nearly halfof the participant women (48.0%) underwent depression and nearly one in four women experienced sexual dysfunction (26.2%). In the analysis, there was statistically significant correlation between women's sexual dysfunction and diabetes type, diabetes complications, HbA1C value, having a sexual problem and presence of depression. CONCLUSION This study showed that one in two diabetic women suffered from depression while nearly one in four diabetic women expereienced sexual dysfunction.