SEX HAPPENS—BADLY SOMETIMES—AND MORE SO FOR WOMEN

Fulfilment from sex is an important but understudied aspect of sexual health. An understanding of sexual (dys)function and also of factors associated with patients reporting sexual problems is important in order for healthcare providers to improve provision of care and support for patients. Mercer et al used a probability survey of 11, 161 men and women aged 16–44 years in 2000. Outcomes were “any” sexual problems (lasting <1 month) and “persistent” sexual problems (lasting >6 months). Major findings were that any and persistent sexual problems were more common in women. Factors associated with sexual (dys)function problems were: competence at first sex, paying for sex in the previous 5 years, and number of occasions of sex and masturbation in the past month. Additionally, for men only, reporting …