Table 5.
Cross-sectional associations in women between past-year decline in sexual desire, frequency of sexual activities, and ability to become sexually aroused and health status
| Decline | No decline | OR [95% CI]c | p | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| na | % (SE)b | na | % (SE)b | |||
| Sexual desire | ||||||
| Fair/poor self-rated health | 1010 | 25.1 (1.2) | 2185 | 25.5 (0.8) | 0.89 [0.72–1.09] | .248 |
| Limiting long-standing illness | 1009 | 36.5 (1.3) | 2185 | 35.0 (0.9) | 1.09 (0.91–1.31) | .367 |
| Cancer | 1010 | 5.6 (0.7) | 2185 | 5.8 (0.5) | 0.91 [0.65–1.29] | .612 |
| Coronary heart disease | 1010 | 7.8 (0.7) | 2185 | 6.5 (0.5) | 1.14 [0.83–1.56] | .420 |
| Stroke | 1010 | 3.9 (0.5) | 2185 | 3.1 (0.4) | 1.17 [0.77–1.79] | .457 |
| Frequency of sexual activitiesd | ||||||
| Fair/poor self-rated health | 666 | 19.5 (1.3) | 1074 | 18.8 (1.0) | 1.09 [0.82–1.46] | .555 |
| Limiting long-standing illness | 665 | 30.1 (1.5) | 1074 | 27.3 (1.2) | 1.29 [1.01–1.65] | .040 |
| Cancer | 666 | 6.0 (0.9) | 1074 | 5.5 (0.7) | 1.01 [0.65–1.57] | .982 |
| Coronary heart disease | 666 | 5.3 (0.7) | 1074 | 3.5 (0.6) | 1.86 [1.07–3.24] | .029 |
| Stroke | 666 | 3.4 (0.6) | 1074 | 1.7 (0.4) | 2.04 [1.03–4.03] | .041 |
| Ability to become sexually arousedd | ||||||
| Fair/poor self-rated health | 362 | 20.7 (1.7) | 1005 | 16.9 (1.0) | 1.37 [0.95–1.98] | .090 |
| Limiting long-standing illness | 362 | 27.6 (2.0) | 1005 | 27.1 (1.2) | 1.09 [0.80–1.48] | .587 |
| Cancer | 362 | 6.4 (1.1) | 1005 | 5.1 (0.7) | 1.27 [0.74–2.18] | .395 |
| Coronary heart disease | 362 | 4.2 (0.9) | 1005 | 3.5 (0.5) | 1.51 [0.75–3.06] | .249 |
| Stroke | 362 | 3.6 (0.7) | 1005 | 1.6 (0.4) | 2.36 [1.04–5.35] | .040 |
All percentages and odds ratios are adjusted for age, partnership status, ethnicity, wealth, smoking status, alcohol intake, physical activity and depressive symptoms, and weighted for sampling probabilities and differential nonresponse
aTotal sample size (unweighted)
bPercentage (with standard error) reporting incident health problem
cAdjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the health outcome of interest in the group reporting a decline in sexual desire/frequency of sexual activities/ability to have an erection relative to the group not reporting a decline
dAmong those who reported being sexually active