Research figures on sexual satisfaction challenged by doctor

RESEARCH showing that two-thirds of Irish women never experienced a poor sexual life has been challenged by a doctor who believes the true figure is closer to 5%.

Close to nine out of 10 women have never experienced any kind of sexual difficulties with a partner, according to the survey of women’s experience of erectile dysfunction.

The survey of 420 women aged 20 and over found that 65% never experienced a lack of sexual satisfaction and 63% said they never experienced a lack of desire.

But chairman of the Sexual Dysfunction Information Bureau Dr Stephen Murphy said he thought the figures were questionable.

“The results show that 65% of women say they have never experienced a lack of sexual satisfaction, but my patient experience tells me that the true figure would be closer to 5%,” he said.

Dr Murphy said the emotional aspect of intimacy was particularly important for women and there was ongoing discussion among medical professionals about the complex interaction between love, intimacy, emotions, feelings and sexual desire.

“This is a difficult area to talk about and I think the evidence of this can be seen in the response of women and their own experience of sexual difficulties, which is low, and what they imagine to be the incidence of the same problems in other women, which is much higher.”

The bureau was formed in 2005 to provide information about sexual dysfunction, including erectile dysfunction, in Ireland.

The survey found that almost one in 10 women (8%) in Ireland have experienced a partner with erectile dysfunction and a large number (84%) encountered the problem more than once.

In the past, it was believed that the cause of erectile dysfunction was mainly psychological but this view has been challenged, said Dr Murphy.

“We believe that only 25% of erectile dysfunction cases are psychological. The majority of erectile dysfunction cases, about 70%, are symptomatic of a broader health concerns such as depression, diabetes, cardiovascular disease or even neurological disease,” he said.

The latest survey was conducted for Pfizer Healthcare Ireland to support the launch of a website that addresses the problem of erectile dysfunction — www.sexualdysfunction.ie.

Dr Murphy said people looking for more information on erectile dysfunction may find the website helpful and after browsing though it may feel that a visit to their GP might be in order.