Comprehensive exams for Mental Health Q 133
A 45-year-old woman with a history of depression tells a nurse in her doctor’s office that she has difficulty with sexual arousal and is fearful that her husband will have an affair. Which of the following factors would the nurse identify as least significant in contributing to the client’s sexual difficulty?
A. Education and work history
B. Medication used
C. Physical health status
D. Quality of spousal relationship
Correct Answer: A. Education and work history
Education and work history would have the least significance in relation to the client’s sexual problem. Depression, performance anxiety, and other sexual disorders can be strong contributing factors even when organic causes also exist. While having a sexual dysfunction can feel isolating, it’s actually fairly common. About 40 percent of women experience some type of sexual dysfunction, such as FSIAD, in their life.
Option B: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a type of antidepressant, may cause FSIAD. Female sexual arousal disorder occurs when the body doesn’t respond to sexual stimulation. If you’re undergoing chemotherapy or radiation, you may experience FSIAD. Likewise, a recent surgery may interfere with arousal and sexual stimulation.
Option C: While FSIAD can affect any woman, older women seem to experience it more. Because FSIAD is a newly defined term according to the DSM-5, studies on its actual occurrence haven’t yet been published. A 2009 study found that 3.3 percent of participants between the ages of 18 and 44 had female sexual arousal disorder, while 7.5 percent of participants between the ages of 45 and 64 experienced it.
Option D: You might have trouble getting aroused if the stimulation you receive from yourself or your partner isn’t sufficient. Arousal sets off a series of events in the body: Blood flow to the tissues around the vaginal opening and clitoris increases, causing swelling. The vagina produces natural lubricant. Studies on female sexual arousal disorder show that low sexual desire and problems with sexual arousal vary widely by age, cultural setting, duration of symptoms, and presence of distress.