You are seeing this message because your Web browser does not support basic Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing and what you can do to make your experience on this site better.


ABOUT JAMA
Advanced Search

Welcome   | My Account | E-mail Alerts | Access Rights | Sign In


  Vol. 281 No. 6, February 10, 1999 TABLE OF CONTENTS
  JAMA
  •  Online Features
  Original Contribution
 This Article
 •Full text
 •PDF
 •Correction
 •Send to a friend
 • Save in My Folder
 •Save to citation manager
 •Permissions
 Citing Articles
 •Citation map
 •Citing articles on HighWire
 •Citing articles on ISI (1012)
 •Contact me when this article is cited
 Related Content
 •Related articles
 •Similar articles in JAMA
 Topic Collections
 •Psychiatry
 •Alert me on articles by topic

Sexual Dysfunction in the United States

Prevalence and Predictors

Edward O. Laumann, PhD; Anthony Paik, MA; Raymond C. Rosen, PhD

JAMA. 1999;281:537-544.

Context  While recent pharmacological advances have generated increased public interest and demand for clinical services regarding erectile dysfunction, epidemiologic data on sexual dysfunction are relatively scant for both women and men.

Objective  To assess the prevalence and risk of experiencing sexual dysfunction across various social groups and examine the determinants and health consequences of these disorders.

Design  Analysis of data from the National Health and Social Life Survey, a probability sample study of sexual behavior in a demographically representative, 1992 cohort of US adults.

Participants  A national probability sample of 1749 women and 1410 men aged 18 to 59 years at the time of the survey.

Main Outcome Measures  Risk of experiencing sexual dysfunction as well as negative concomitant outcomes.

Results  Sexual dysfunction is more prevalent for women (43%) than men (31%) and is associated with various demographic characteristics, including age and educational attainment. Women of different racial groups demonstrate different patterns of sexual dysfunction. Differences among men are not as marked but generally consistent with women. Experience of sexual dysfunction is more likely among women and men with poor physical and emotional health. Moreover, sexual dysfunction is highly associated with negative experiences in sexual relationships and overall well-being.

Conclusions  The results indicate that sexual dysfunction is an important public health concern, and emotional problems likely contribute to the experience of these problems.


Author Affiliations: Department of Sociology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill (Dr Laumann and Mr Paik); and Department of Psychiatry, University of Medicine and Denistry of New Jersey—Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway (Dr Rosen).


RELATED ARTICLES

February 10, 1999
JAMA. 1999;281(6):581-582.
EXTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Silence about sexual problems can hurt relationships
JAMA. 1999;281(6):584.
PDF  


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Testosterone Supplementation to Improve Women's Sexual Satisfaction: Complexities and Unknowns
Basson
ANN INTERN MED 2008;148:620-621.
FULL TEXT  

Female Sex Offenders: Exploring Issues of Personality, Trauma, and Cognitive Distortions
Strickland
J Interpers Violence 2008;23:474-489.
ABSTRACT  

Paradox in Positive Organizational Change
Cameron
Journal of Applied Behavioral Science 2008;44:7-24.
ABSTRACT  

Premature Ovarian Failure and Its Consequences: Vasomotor Symptoms, Sexuality, and Fertility
Schover
JCO 2008;26:753-758.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Herpes simplex virus type 2 infection among young uncircumcised men in Kisumu, Kenya
Mehta et al.
Sex. Transm. Infect. 2008;84:42-48.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Sexual function changes during the 5 years after high-dose treatment and hematopoietic cell transplantation for malignancy, with case-matched controls at 5 years
Syrjala et al.
Blood 2008;111:989-996.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Sexual Dysfunction in Schizophrenia
Malik
Focus 2008;6:234-238.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Assessment & management of sexual problems in women
Wylie
JRSM 2007;100:547-550.
FULL TEXT  

History of Past Sexual Abuse in Married Observant Jewish Women
Yehuda et al.
Am. J. Psychiatry 2007;164:1700-1706.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Current thoughts on psychosexual disorders in women
Coulson and Crowley
The Obstetrician and Gynaecologist 2007;9:217-222.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

A Study of Sexuality and Health among Older Adults in the United States
Lindau et al.
NEJM 2007;357:762-774.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Prevalence and Predictors of Sexual Dysfunction in Psychiatric Inpatients
Perlman et al.
Psychosomatics 2007;48:309-318.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Female Sexual Desire--Beyond Testosterone
Ganz and Greendale
JNCI J Natl Cancer Inst 2007;99:659-661.
FULL TEXT  

Sexual dysfunction in dialysis patients treated with antihypertensive or antidepressive medications: results from the DOPPS
Bailie et al.
Nephrol Dial Transplant 2007;22:1163-1170.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Hormones and Sexuality During Transition to Menopause
Gracia et al.
Obstet Gynecol 2007;109:831-840.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Deep dyspareunia and sex life after laparoscopic excision of endometriosis
Ferrero et al.
Hum Reprod 2007;22:1142-1148.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Dapoxetine Has No Pharmacokinetic or Cognitive Interactions With Ethanol in Healthy Male Volunteers
Modi et al.
J Clin Pharmacol 2007;47:315-322.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Overexpression of arginase in the aged mouse penis impairs erectile function and decreases eNOS activity: influence of in vivo gene therapy of anti-arginase
Bivalacqua et al.
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. 2007;292:H1340-H1351.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

A 60-Year-Old Woman With Sexual Difficulties
Potter
JAMA 2007;297:620-633.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Issues for DSM-V: Sexual Dysfunction, Disorder, or Variation Along Normal Distribution: Toward Rethinking DSM Criteria of Sexual Dysfunctions
Balon et al.
Am. J. Psychiatry 2007;164:198-200.
FULL TEXT  

Hypoactive Sexual Dysfunction in a Young Woman
Laine and Jones
Obstet Gynecol 2007;109:415-418.
FULL TEXT  

Pesticides and Polychlorinated Biphenyls as Potential Risk Factors for Erectile Dysfunction
Polsky et al.
J Androl 2007;28:28-37.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Controversies Regarding Transdermal Androgen Therapy in Postmenopausal Women
Basaria and Dobs
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 2006;91:4743-4752.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Androgen Therapy in Women: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline
Wierman et al.
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 2006;91:3697-3710.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

SSRI-Associated Sexual Dysfunction
Balon
Am. J. Psychiatry 2006;163:1504-1509.
FULL TEXT  

Pharmacokinetics of dapoxetine, a new treatment for premature ejaculation: impact of age and effects of a high-fat meal.
Dresser et al.
J Clin Pharmacol 2006;46:1023-1029.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Uterosacral Ligament Vault Suspension: Five-Year Outcomes
Silva et al.
Obstet Gynecol 2006;108:255-263.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The 'Pinking' of Viagra Culture: Drug Industry Efforts to Create and Repackage Sex Drugs for Women
Hartley
Sexualities 2006;9:363-378.
ABSTRACT  

Topical Alprostadil Treatment of Female Sexual Arousal Disorder
Kielbasa and Daniel
The Annals of Pharmacotherapy 2006;40:1369-1376.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Role of Oxidative Stress in the Pathophysiological Mechanism of Erectile Dysfunction
Agarwal et al.
J Androl 2006;27:335-347.
FULL TEXT  

Use of Sildenafil for Female Sexual Dysfunction
Shields and Hrometz
The Annals of Pharmacotherapy 2006;40:931-934.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Randomized Trial of Peer Counseling on Reproductive Health in African American Breast Cancer Survivors
Schover et al.
JCO 2006;24:1620-1626.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Sexual Submissiveness in Women: Costs for Sexual Autonomy and Arousal
Sanchez et al.
Pers Soc Psychol Bull 2006;32:512-524.
ABSTRACT  

Disruption of sexual function, FSH secretion, and spermiogenesis in rabbits following developmental exposure to vinclozolin, a fungicide.
Veeramachaneni et al.
Reproduction 2006;131:805-816.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Sexual activity and function in middle-aged and older women.
Addis et al.
Obstet Gynecol 2006;107:755-764.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Smoking and erectile dysfunction: findings from a representative sample of Australian men.
Millett et al.
Tobacco Control 2006;15:136-139.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Sexual health and the new ageing
Gott
Age Ageing 2006;35:106-107.
FULL TEXT  

Single- and multiple-dose pharmacokinetics of dapoxetine hydrochloride, a novel agent for the treatment of premature ejaculation.
Modi et al.
J Clin Pharmacol 2006;46:301-309.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Predictors and Prevalence of Erectile Dysfunction in a Racially Diverse Population
Saigal et al.
Arch Intern Med 2006;166:207-212.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Resilient Sexual Desire in Heterosexual Couples
McCarthy et al.
The Family Journal 2006;14:59-64.
ABSTRACT  

Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone II Stimulates Female Sexual Behavior in Marmoset Monkeys
Barnett et al.
Endocrinology 2006;147:615-623.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Is dehydroepiandrosterone a hormone?
Labrie et al.
J Endocrinol 2005;187:169-196.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Sexual Dysfunction
IsHak et al.
Focus 2005;3:520-525.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

A Reintroduction to Clinical Sexuality
Levine
Focus 2005;3:526-531.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Sexual Dysfunction: Treat or Refer
Sarrel
Obstet Gynecol 2005;106:834-839.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

STIs and sexual dysfunction
Goldmeier and Leiblum
Sex. Transm. Infect. 2005;81:364-364.
FULL TEXT  

Who reports sexual function problems? Empirical evidence from Britain's 2000 National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles
Mercer et al.
Sex. Transm. Infect. 2005;81:394-399.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Safety and Efficacy of a Testosterone Patch for the Treatment of Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder in Surgically Menopausal Women: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Braunstein et al.
Arch Intern Med 2005;165:1582-1589.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Circulating Androgen Levels and Self-reported Sexual Function in Women
Davis et al.
JAMA 2005;294:91-96.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Sexual Activity and Function in Postmenopausal Women With Heart Disease
Addis et al.
Obstet Gynecol 2005;106:121-127.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Tadalafil Improved Erectile Function at Twenty-Four and Thirty-Six Hours After Dosing in Men With Erectile Dysfunction: US Trial
Young et al.
J Androl 2005;26:310-318.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Can Postmenopausal Women Patch Up Their Sex Lives With Testosterone?
Guzick
Obstet Gynecol 2005;105:938-940.
FULL TEXT  

Testosterone Patch for Low Sexual Desire in Surgically Menopausal Women: A Randomized Trial
Buster et al.
Obstet Gynecol 2005;105:944-952.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

High Proportions of Erectile Dysfunction in Men With the Metabolic Syndrome
Esposito et al.
Diabetes Care 2005;28:1201-1203.
FULL TEXT  

Female sexual dysfunction
Lewis
BMJ 2005;330:E345-E346.
FULL TEXT  

Dietary supplements for female sexual dysfunction
Boone and Shields
Am J Health Syst Pharm 2005;62:574-580.
FULL TEXT  

Sexual Dysfunction in Women With the Metabolic Syndrome
Esposito et al.
Diabetes Care 2005;28:756-756.
FULL TEXT  

Female Sexual Arousal Disorder and Counseling Deliberations
Millner
The Family Journal 2005;13:95-100.
ABSTRACT  

Urologic Complications of Diabetes
Brown et al.
Diabetes Care 2005;28:177-185.
FULL TEXT  

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
JWatch Women's Health 2004;2004:8-8.
FULL TEXT  

Intimacy, commitment, and adaptation: Sexual relationships within long-term marriages
Hinchliff and Gott
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships 2004;21:595-609.
ABSTRACT  

Role of Arginase in the Male and Female Sexual Arousal Response
Kim et al.
J. Nutr. 2004;134:2873S-2879S.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Perceptions of Well-Being in Sexual Ill Health: What Role does Age Play?
Hinchliff and Gott
J Health Psychol 2004;9:649-660.
ABSTRACT  

Erectile Dysfunction: Evaluation and New Treatment Options
Carson
Psychosom. Med. 2004;66:664-671.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The Link Between LUTS and ED: Clinical and Basic Science Evidence
Schiff and Mulhall
J Androl 2004;25:470-478.
FULL TEXT  

Effect of Lifestyle Changes on Erectile Dysfunction in Obese Men: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Esposito et al.
JAMA 2004;291:2978-2984.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Manufacturing Desire:: The Commodification of Female Sexual Dysfunction
Fishman
Social Studies of Science 2004;34:187-218.
ABSTRACT  

Introduction to Sexuality in Late Life
Sharpe
The Family Journal 2004;12:199-205.
ABSTRACT  

Do Sexual Health Care Needs Differ for Women with and without Histories of Abuse?
Nusbaum et al.
Violence Against Women 2004;10:294-311.
ABSTRACT  

Predictors of Sexual Functioning in Ovarian Cancer Patients
Carmack Taylor et al.
JCO 2004;22:881-889.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Restoration of Couple's Intimacy and Relationship Vital to Reestablishing Erectile Function
Dunn
JAOA: Journal of the American Osteopathic Association 2004;104:6S-10S.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

A Twin Study of Erectile Dysfunction
Fischer et al.
Arch Intern Med 2004;164:165-168.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Impaired brachial artery endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilation in men with erectile dysfunction and no other clinical cardiovascular disease
Kaiser et al.
J Am Coll Cardiol 2004;43:179-184.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Endothelial Dysfunction in Erectile Dysfunction: Role of the Endothelium in Erectile Physiology and Disease
Bivalacqua et al.
J Androl 2003;24:S17-S37.
FULL TEXT  

Andropause: Symptom Management for Prostate Cancer Patients Treated With Hormonal Ablation
Thompson et al.
The Oncologist 2003;8:474-487.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Sexual Satisfaction in Young Adulthood: Cohabitation, Committed Dating or Unattached Life?
Pedersen and Blekesaune
Acta Sociologica 2003;46:179-193.
ABSTRACT  

Problems with sexual function in people attending London general practitioners: cross sectional study
Nazareth et al.
BMJ 2003;327:423.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Sexual Function in Men Older Than 50 Years of Age: Results from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study
Bacon et al.
ANN INTERN MED 2003;139:161-168.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Intimacy and Women With Type 2 Diabetes: An Exploratory Study Using Focus Group Interviews
Sarkadi and Rosenqvist
The Diabetes Educator 2003;29:641-652.
ABSTRACT  

Female Sexual Dysfunction: Review of the Disorder and Evidence for Available Treatment Alternatives
Miller and Hunt
Journal of Pharmacy Practice 2003;16:200-208.
ABSTRACT  

Sexual side-effects of antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs
Baldwin and Mayers
Adv. Psychiatr. Treat. 2003;9:202-210.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Treatment of Female Sexual Dysfunction
Ragucci and Culhane
The Annals of Pharmacotherapy 2003;37:546-555.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Gene transfer of extracellular SOD to the penis reduces O2{middle dot} and improves erectile function in aged rats
Bivalacqua et al.
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. 2003;284:H1408-H1421.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Prevalence and incidence of prolonged and severe dyspareunia in women: results from a population study
Danielsson et al.
Scand J Public Health 2003;31:113-118.
ABSTRACT  

Vardenafil, a New Phosphodiesterase Type 5 Inhibitor, in the Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction in Men With Diabetes: A multicenter double-blind placebo-controlled fixed-dose study
Goldstein et al.
Diabetes Care 2003;26:777-783.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The making of a disease: female sexual dysfunction
Moynihan
BMJ 2003;326:45-47.
FULL TEXT  

Forever Functional: Sexual Fitness and the Ageing Male Body
MARSHALL and KATZ
Body Society 2002;8:43-70.
ABSTRACT  

Prevalence of Erectile Dysfunction and Active Depression: An Analytic Cross-Sectional Study of General Medical Patients
Kantor et al.
Am J Epidemiol 2002;156:1035-1042.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Female Genitalia: Dynamic MR Imaging with Use of MS-325—Initial Experiences Evaluating Female Sexual Response
Deliganis et al.
Radiology 2002;225:791-799.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Sexual activity and cardiovascular risk
Drory
Eur Heart J Suppl 2002;4:H13-H18.
ABSTRACT  

Challenges in Oral Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction
Seftel
J Androl 2002;23:729-736.
FULL TEXT  

Health and demographic characteristics of respondents in an Australian national sexuality survey: comparison with population norms
Purdie et al.
J. Epidemiol. Community Health 2002;56:748-753.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Environmental Agents and Erectile Dysfunction: A Study in a Consulting Population
Oliva et al.
J Androl 2002;23:546-550.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Sildenafil for Male Erectile Dysfunction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Fink et al.
Arch Intern Med 2002;162:1349-1360.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

`Hard Science': Gendered Constructions of Sexual Dysfunction in the `Viagra Age'
Marshall
Sexualities 2002;5:131-158.
ABSTRACT  

Sexual behaviour and its medicalisation: in sickness and in health
Hart and Wellings
BMJ 2002;324:896-900.
FULL TEXT  





HOME | CURRENT ISSUE | PAST ISSUES | TOPIC COLLECTIONS | CME | SUBMIT | SUBSCRIBE | HELP
CONDITIONS OF USE | PRIVACY POLICY | CONTACT US | SITE MAP
 
© 1999 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.