The effect of heroin use disorder on the sexual functions of women

Abstract

The effect of heroin use disorder on the sexual functions of women Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the sexual functions of women with heroin use disorder. Method: This comparative-descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out at the Research, Treatment and Training Center for Alcohol and Substance Dependence (AMATEM) of Bakirkoy Training and Research Hospital for Psychiatry Neurology and Neurosurgery. Included in the heroin use disorder group were 57 women aged 18 years or above who presented to AMATEM between June 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014 and received a diagnosis of substance use disorder according to DSM-5. Inclusion criteria were the absence of psychiatric diseases, substance withdrawal symptoms, or mental retardation, being sexually active, not being pregnant or puerperant, and having given consent to participate in the study. Healthy female relatives of 79 female patients who presented to the Gynecology Clinic of the same hospital during the same period were included in the healthy group. The data were collected through an interview form was developed by researchers, Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results: No difference was determined between the participants in both groups in terms of average age, period of education, body mass index, or employment and economic situation (p>0.05). It was determined that, in contrast with the healthy group, 70.4% of the women with heroin use disorder had sexual problems and 71.9% of them were not satisfied with their sexual life. It was found that women with heroin use disorder scored significantly lower than healthy controls in FSFI sub-dimensions such as desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain, as well as for the total scale, while scores were higher on the BDI scale (p<0.05). Conclusion: Among women with heroin use disorder, sexual functions are adversely affected and depressive symptoms appear to be increased.