What is a Sexual Problem?

Sexual problems refer to the difficulties that occur at any stage (desire, arousal, orgasm and resolution) of the sex response cycle, which hinders an individual or couple from enjoying sexual activity. Sexual problems are also known as sexual dysfunction. Problems in sexual life may develop at any stage in life or may even occur after a person has been experiencing satisfying and pleasurable sex. They may occur gradually with time or affect a person suddenly, leading to a partial or total inability to participate in one or more phases of the sexual activity. Some people believe that sexual problems are more frequent among men, but researchers have put the facts bare, as seen in the rest of the post.

Types of Sexual Problems

Sexual dysfunction is a common health issue that affects both men and women. It can result from physical, physiological or psychosocial problems at various stages of life. Scholars have categorized sexual dysfunction into four types, as discussed below.

Desire Disorders

These are disorders that interfere with interest in sex and sexual desire. They are also referred to as low libido or libido disorders. The leading cause of decreased libido includes low testosterone and estrogen levels, relationship issues, sexual inhibitors, anxiety, depression and medical conditions like heart disease. These causative factors affect libido in both men and women.

Arousal Disorders

Problems with arousal are common in both men and women. These conditions make it impossible or difficult to be physically aroused when engaging in sex. A person suffering from arousal problems may be interested in sex but cannot get any physical pleasure. Erectile dysfunction is the most common type of arousal issue in men.

Orgasm Disorders

These problems present with delayed or absent orgasm and are common among women though they can also affect men. Painful sex, fatigue, hormonal changes, stress and decreased libido can prevent or delay orgasm.

Pain Disorders

Pain disorders are not specific to any partner as they affect both men and women. People suffering from these disorders feel pain during sexual intercourse. Pain during sex may occur in men suffering from conditions such as yeast infections, genital herpes, UTIs and physical damage to the penis. In women, the leading causes of pain during sex are urinary tract infections, vaginal dryness, and hormonal changes in menopause.

The Prevalence of Sex Problems among Men and Women

A study in 2005 interviewed 3257 Chinese adults in Hong Kong to assess the prevalence of sexual satisfaction and sexual problems to identify their associations with quality of life. The researchers found that sexual problems affected 54% of female and 50.9% of male respondents. The findings contradict the notion that sexual issues mostly affect men. They also established that 5.9% of women and 23.9% of the respondents perceived sexual activity as necessary.

The study also established that sexual problems ranged from 3.4% (painful sex) to 29.7% (premature climaxing) for males and 6.9% (anxiety) to 24.7% (loss of interest) in women. The prevalence of lubrication problems in women stood at 23.6%, while erectly dysfunction in men was 9.6%. The research concluded that the perceived significance of sex, physical wellbeing, sexual satisfaction and sex-related knowledge were vital predictors of sexual problems. Also, there were significant cultural influences and gender differences in the prevalence of sexual dysfunction.

It is evident that sexual problems are prevalent in society and influenced by psychosocial and health problems. They are widespread in men and women, a discovery that challenges the perception that sexual problems are more frequent in men. Many sex-related problems affect men and women, while others are specific to gender. Thus, it may be inconclusive to claim that sexual dysfunction is more prevalent in any gender.