Sexual dysfunctions closely linked to diabetes stress in diabetics, study finds

Belgium: Sexual dysfunctions are frequent in both men and women with diabetes, according to a recent study by Dr. Jolijn Van Cauwenberghe and colleagues. Sexual dysfunctions in males were linked to clinical variables. When compared to women without sexual dysfunction, more women with sexual dysfunction reported low emotional well-being and anxiety symptoms. Sexual dysfunctions were linked to diabetic distress in both men and women. These findings were published in the Journal of Diabetic Medicine on 25th August 2021.

The incidence of sexual dysfunctions in diabetic women is still being disputed and understudied. The researchers took on this opportunity to fill in this gap and focused to look at the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in men and women with type 1 or type 2 diabetes (T1D or T2D), as well as the relationships between clinical and psychological factors.

This study was conducted by asking the participants to go through questionnaires, making it an online survey. Adults with diabetes (n = 756) responded to this online survey that included questions on sexual functioning (adapted Short Sexual Functional Scale), general emotional well-being (WHO-5), anxiety symptoms (GAD-7), and diabetic distress (PAID-20).

Key findings:

• About one-third of the participants reported sexual dysfunction.

• 20% of men in T1D reported erectile dysfunction, while 33% in T2D.

• Men with orgasmic dysfunction were reported to be 22% in T1D and 27% in T2D.

• In men, sexual dysfunction was related with being older, having a larger waist circumference, and having diabetes for a longer period of time.

• Diabetes distress was indicated by a greater proportion of men with sexual dysfunction.

• Women with T1D reported decreased desire and arousal around 22% and 9% respectively.

• Women with T2D reported decreased desire and arousal around 15% and 11% respectively.

• Diabetes distress, poor emotional well-being, and anxiety symptoms were more common in women with sexual dysfunction.

In conclusion, diabetes doesn't just impair the natural way of living and taking care of diet but also plays a crucial role in shaping the sexual life of an individual. There are several reasons people with diabetes experience sexual dysfunction more often than the general public, obesity as one example. It is therefore needed to pay attention and have in-depth research correlating diabetes and sexual dysfunction.

Source

Journal of Diabetic Medicine, 25 August 2021

Van Cauwenberghe, J., Enzlin, P., Nefs, G., Ruige, J., Hendrieckx, C., De Block, C., & Pouwer, F. (2021). Prevalence of and risk factors for sexual dysfunctions in adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes: Results from Diabetes MILES ‐ Flanders. Diabetic Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1111/dme.14676