The sexual concerns of African American, Asian American, and white women seeking routine gynecological care

Abstract

Purpose: Because of limited knowledge regarding the sexual health of minority women, we described the types and frequency of sexual concerns among African American, Asian American, and white women. Methods: The sexual concerns of eligible women who received their health care at a large military health care facility in Washington State were determined from December 1992 through January 1993 through the use of a questionnaire on women's sexual health that was developed by one of the authors. Results: A high and similar prevalence of sexual concerns was reported among these women. The prevalence of certain sexual concerns among white, African American, and Asian American women differed significantly. A history of sexual coercion or physical/emotional abuse was strongly associated with a high prevalence of sexual concerns for each racial and ethnic group. Conclusion: Although women of different racial/ethnic backgrounds reported a high and similar prevalence of sexual concerns, there were significant differences in the prevalence of certain sexual concerns that may have differential health importance. Health-care providers should exercise caution when generalizing the sexual concerns of women from different racial/ethnic backgrounds.