• Carmita Helena Najjar Abdo, Waldemar Mendes de Oliveira Júnior, Edson Moreira Júnior, João Afif Abdo, and João Antônio Saraiva Fittipaldi.
• Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Universidade de São Paulo, Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil. carmita.abdo@uol.com.br
• Sao Paulo Med J. 2005 Jan 2; 123 (1): 11-4.

ContextSexual dysfunctions can have origins in physical, psychological and psychosocial factors.ObjectiveTo describe the frequency of erectile dysfunction (ED) and female inhibition of sexual desire (ISD) in a Brazilian sample, and to estimate the risks of these dysfunctions.Type Of StudyNon-random survey.SettingTen Brazilian cities.Methods2,835 subjects (53% women) aged over 18 years answered a questionnaire about their general health and sex life. The chi-squared test and multivariate logistic regression were used. Values of p < or = 0.05 were considered significant.ResultsThe women's average age was 36.6 years (+/- 13.3) and the men's was 39.5 (+/- 13.3). 14.7% of men presented moderate/complete ED and 34.6% of women presented ISD. Depression was mentioned by 16.8% of men and 29.7% of women. The chances of having ED and ISD were higher for subjects who had had lower school attainment. Lack of a job and depression gave rise to 1.5 times (95% CI: 1.0 - 2.3) and 1.9 times (95% CI: 1.2 - 3.0) greater chances of ED respectively. Compared with men aged up to 25 years, those aged 41-60 had 1.9 times (95% CI: 1.0 - 3.4) and those aged 61 and over had 5.4 times (95% CI: 2.3 - 12.6) greater risk of ED. For women, lack of a job gave rise to 1.5 times (95% CI: 1.1 - 1.9) greater chance of ISD; depression was not associated with higher risk. Compared with women aged up to 25 years, those aged 41-60 and 61 or over had, respectively, 2.9 times (95% CI: 2.0 - 4.1) and 7.5 times (95% CI: 3.0 -18.6) greater risk of ISD.DiscussionIncreasing unemployment has affected the whole population, but especially those with lower levels of school attainment. Such levels are positively linked with presence of sexual dysfunctions.ConclusionLack of jobs, age and low school attainment are risks for the sexual dysfunctions studied. Depression increased the risk of ED but not female ISD.

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