Female Sexual Dysfunction Among the Wives of Opioid-Dependent Males in Iran

BACKGROUND Opiate abuse in males has significant effects on their sexual functions. In contrast, sexuality in females is a multidimensional issue that can strongly be affected by several factors in their partners. However, only a limited number of studies have assessed the role of males' opioid dependency in their female partners' sexual function. OBJECTIVES The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of males' opioid dependency on their wives' sexual function compared to the sexual function of the females whose husbands were not opioid dependent. PATIENTS AND METHODS This study included 340 women who were selected through convenience sampling and divided into a control (females whose husbands were not opioid dependent) and a case group (women whose husbands were opioid dependent). The data were collected through an interview according to the DSM-IV-R criteria for female sexual dysfunctions by a senior female medical student who was one of the researchers. Finally, the data were entered into the SPSS statistical software (v. 15) and analyzed using the t-test and chi-square test. RESULTS According to the results, the frequency of hypoactive sexual desire disorder and sexual aversion disorder in the control group was significantly higher than that of the case group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The results showed that having an addicted husband could strongly affect some sexual domains in women. It could change the pattern of desire and motivation for sexual contact in females and alter their attitude toward the sexual relationship, thereby causing disturbances in the females' normal sexual function.