Estimating the Prevalence of Sexual Function Problems: The Impact of Morbidity Criteria

2015/11/25 by Kirstin Mitchell, Kirstin R. Mitchell, Kyle G. Jones +13 · 140 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Medicine · #Biology #Demography #Environmental health #Evolutionary biology #Function (biology) #Internal medicine #Medicine #Reproductive Health and Contraception #Sexual Differentiation and Disorders #Sexual function #Sexual function and dysfunction studies #Sociology

paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/00224499.2015.1089214

published in The Journal of Sex Research 53(8), 955-967 (Taylor & Francis)

openalex publication_date 2015/11/25 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23

Abstract

Establishing the clinical significance of symptoms of sexual dysfunction is challenging. To address this, the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) introduced two new morbidity criteria (duration and symptom severity) to the existing criteria of distress. This study sought to establish the impact of these three criteria on the population prevalence of sexual function problems. The data come from a national probability survey (Natsal-3) and are based on 11,509 male and female participants aged 16-74, reporting at least one sexual partner in the past year. The key outcomes were: proportion of individuals reporting proxy measures of DSM-5 problems, and the proportion of those meeting morbidity criteria. We found that among sexually active men, the prevalence of reporting one or more of four specific sexual problems was 38.2%, but 4.2% after applying the three morbidity criteria; corresponding figures for women reporting one or more of three specific sexual problems, were 22.8% and 3.6%. Just over a third of men and women reporting a problem meeting all three morbidity criteria had sought help in the last year. We conclude that the DSM-5 morbidity criteria impose a focus on clinically significant symptoms.

Cited by

• What Does Research Tell Us About Women’s Experiences, Motives and Perceptions of Masturbation Within a Relationship Context?: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies
• Women’s sexual dysfunction associated with psychiatric disorders and their treatment
• The epidemiology of premature ejaculation. [europepmc]
• What factors are associated with reporting lacking interest in sex and how do these vary by gender? Findings from the third British national survey of sexual attitudes and lifestyles. [europepmc]
• Help-Seeking for Sexual Difficulties and the Potential Role of Interactive Digital Interventions: Findings From the Third British National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles. [europepmc]
• Propensity to Sexual Response among Adults with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. [europepmc]
• Let us integrate sexual health-do psychiatrists integrate sexual health in patient management? [europepmc]
• Prevalence and Predictors of Sexual Difficulties and Associated Distress Among Partnered, Sexually Active Older Women in Norway, Denmark, Belgium, and Portugal. [europepmc]
• Psychological Treatment of Low Sexual Desire in Women: Protocol for a Randomized, Waitlist-Controlled Trial of Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral and Mindfulness-Based Treatments. [europepmc]
• Attachment-related anxiety is associated with poor genital satisfaction and sexual problems in women. [europepmc]
• Estimating the Prevalence of Sexual Dysfunction Using the New ICD-11 Guidelines. [europepmc]
• The Sexual Function Evaluation Questionnaire (SFEQ) to Evaluate Effectiveness of Treatment for Sexual Difficulties: Development and Validation in a Clinical Sample. [europepmc]
• Associations Between Pornography Consumption, Sexual Flexibility, and Sexual Functioning Among Austrian Adults. [europepmc]
• Feasibility of an Online Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Women with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder. [europepmc]
• Prevalence and correlates of sexual concerns and associated distress among women living with HIV in Canada. [europepmc]
• Reduced Sexual Desire in Young Norwegian Women: A Mixed-Methods Study. [europepmc]
• Characteristics of Chinese women in need of enhanced sexual health attention and at risk of hypoactive sexual desire disorder. [europepmc]
• Exploring barriers and facilitators to women's intention and behavior to seek treatment for distressing sexual problems. [europepmc]
• Sexual Dysfunctions in Women with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Following Childhood Sexual Abuse: Prevalence Rates According to DSM-5 and Clinical Correlates. [europepmc]
• Sexual functioning and marital satisfaction among endometriosis patients in Malaysia: a cross-sectional study. [europepmc]
• An Implementation Pilot of Web-Based Self-Training Programs on Sexual Dysfunctions in the Dutch Public Sexual Health Setting: Mixed Methods Study. [europepmc]
• Being a Surrogate Partner: The Challenges of Fragile Boundaries. [europepmc]
• Psychometric Properties of the Diagnostic Interview for Sexual Dysfunctions in Women in a Symptom-Reporting Sample. [europepmc]
• Silent struggles: help-seeking barriers for sexual difficulties among adults 50+ in Czechia. [europepmc]
• Association of sexual dysfunctions according to DSM-5 criteria with structural brain differences in women and men from the Hamburg City Health Study. [europepmc]
• Female Sexual Dysfunction and Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study in Jordanian Women. [europepmc]
• Sexual Function and Libido Loss in Female Climbers-A Cross-Sectional Study. [europepmc]

Related

• The DSM Criteria of Sexual Dysfunction: Need for a Change
• Sexual dysfunction: Overview of prevalence, etiological factors, and treatments
• Proposal for Changes in Diagnostic Criteria for Sexual Dysfunctions
• Correlates of Sexually Related Personal Distress in Women with Low Sexual Desire
• The DSM Diagnostic Criteria for Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder in Men