Prevalence and associated factors of sexual dysfunction in female hemodialysis patients: first report from Somalia

Abstract

Background: Sexual dysfunction is frequent in female hemodialysis patients and is related to poorer quality of life. It is often a neglected topic associated with marked distress and interpersonal difficulties. Objective: Few studies are reported from Sub-Saharan African Countries (SSA) regarding female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in (HD) patients. The study aims to explore the prevalence and associated factors of FSD in female HD at a sole dialysis centre in Somalia. Method: Over a one-month period, a cross-sectional study was conducted among women with end-stage renal disease aged 18–50 years who were undergoing a dialysis program for at least three months at the dialysis center of our hospital. The participants were married, and they were living with their partners. Data regarding the sociodemographic features, clinical characteristics, frequency of sexual intercourse per week, and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) scores were collected using a standard face-to-face interview questionnaire. Results: During the study period, a total of 115 participants were eligible for the study’s inclusion criteria. The mean patient age was 38.5 ± 9.3 years. The most common cause of ESRD was diabetes, which accounted for 53%, followed by hypertension (26.1%) and glomerulonephritis (9.6%). The mean duration of dialysis was 2.9 ± 1.4 years, and approximately two-thirds of the participants (62.5%) were in the program for more than three years. Regarding the frequency of sexual intercourse, 61.7% of female participants performed sexual intercourse less than once time/a week. The prevalence of FSD was 92.2% (n = 106) of all participants. The mean FSFI score of the participants was 16.05 ± 4.48. Longer duration of dialysis program (i.e., more than four years), increasing age (i.e., > 35 years), those with diabetes had scored lower overall FSFI scores. Conclusion: The prevalence of female sexual dysfunction among Somali female hemodialysis patients was very high, representing a significant problem in end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Our study findings revealed that increasing age, diabetes, and duration of dialysis negatively impact female sexual function and are significantly associated with FSD.