PapersFlow Research Brief
Sexual function and dysfunction studies
Research Guide
What is Sexual function and dysfunction studies?
Sexual function and dysfunction studies is a field in medicine and psychiatry that examines the epidemiology, risk factors, management, and assessment of sexual dysfunctions such as erectile dysfunction, female sexual function issues, hypoactive sexual desire disorder, and their links to cardiovascular disease, menopause, and psychological factors.
The field encompasses 76,823 works focused on sexual dysfunction, erectile dysfunction, female sexual function, hypoactive sexual desire disorder, androgen therapy, cardiovascular disease, menopause, psychological interventions, endothelial function, and the Global Study of Sexual Attitudes and Behaviors. Key contributions include validated assessment tools like the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) developed by Rosen et al. (2000) and the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) by Rosen et al. (1997). Population-based studies such as 'Sexual Dysfunction in the United States' by Laumann et al. (1999) and the Massachusetts Male Aging Study by Feldman et al. (1994) provide prevalence data on sexual dysfunctions.
Topic Hierarchy
Research Sub-Topics
Erectile Dysfunction Epidemiology
This sub-topic examines the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors of erectile dysfunction in various populations, including large-scale cohort studies like the Massachusetts Male Aging Study. Researchers investigate demographic, lifestyle, and comorbidity associations to understand its public health burden.
Female Sexual Function Index
This sub-topic focuses on the development, validation, and application of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) for assessing multidimensional aspects of female sexual function. Researchers study its psychometric properties, cutoff scores, and utility in clinical trials.
Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder
This sub-topic explores the etiology, diagnosis, and pharmacological treatments for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in men and women. Researchers analyze hormonal, psychological, and neurobiological contributors alongside clinical trial outcomes.
Sexual Dysfunction and Cardiovascular Disease
This sub-topic investigates the bidirectional links between sexual dysfunction, particularly erectile dysfunction, and cardiovascular risk factors like endothelial dysfunction. Researchers study shared pathophysiological mechanisms and predictive value for cardiac events.
Psychological Interventions for Sexual Dysfunction
This sub-topic covers cognitive-behavioral therapy, sex therapy, and mindfulness-based interventions for sexual dysfunctions across genders. Researchers evaluate efficacy through randomized controlled trials and long-term outcomes.
Why It Matters
Sexual function and dysfunction studies inform clinical management of conditions affecting millions, with 'Sexual Dysfunction in the United States' by Laumann et al. (1999) reporting dysfunction as a public health concern tied to emotional problems. The Massachusetts Male Aging Study by Feldman et al. (1994) established normative prevalence data for impotence in a community sample of noninstitutionalized men. Validated tools like the FSFI by Rosen (2000), cited 6311 times, and IIEF by Rosen et al. (1997), cited 5719 times, enable standardized diagnosis and tracking in psychiatry and urology. Meta-analyses such as 'Efficacy and Safety of Tadalafil Monotherapy for Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Secondary to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia' by Dong et al. (2013) support treatments addressing overlapping symptoms in benign prostatic hyperplasia patients.
Reading Guide
Where to Start
'The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI): A Multidimensional Self-Report Instrument for the Assessment of Female Sexual Function' by Rosen (2000), as it introduces a foundational validated tool with clear development methodology suitable for understanding assessment basics.
Key Papers Explained
Rosen (2000) established the FSFI for female sexual function, cross-validated with clinical cutoffs by Wiegel et al. (2005) in 'The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI): Cross-Validation and Development of Clinical Cutoff Scores'. Rosen et al. (1997) developed the IIEF for erectile dysfunction, refined into IIEF-5 by Rosen et al. (1999) in 'Development and evaluation of an abridged, 5-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) as a diagnostic tool for erectile dysfunction'. Population prevalence is detailed in Laumann et al. (1999) 'Sexual Dysfunction in the United States' and Feldman et al. (1994) 'Impotence and Its Medical and Psychosocial Correlates: Results of the Massachusetts Male Aging Study'.
Paper Timeline
Most-cited paper highlighted in red. Papers ordered chronologically.
Advanced Directions
Studies continue building on validated scales like FSFI and IIEF for applications in androgen therapy and menopause impacts, with meta-analyses like Dong et al. (2013) extending to LUTS/BPH comorbidities. Organic etiology explorations in younger men by Ludwig and Phillips (2013) highlight needs for vascular and neurogenic diagnostics.
Papers at a Glance
| # | Paper | Year | Venue | Citations | Open Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI): A Multidimensional Se... | 2000 | Journal of Sex & Marit... | 6.3K | ✓ |
| 2 | The international index of erectile function (IIEF): a multidi... | 1997 | Urology | 5.7K | ✕ |
| 3 | Sexual Dysfunction in the United States | 1999 | JAMA | 5.1K | ✕ |
| 4 | Impotence and Its Medical and Psychosocial Correlates: Results... | 1994 | The Journal of Urology | 5.0K | ✕ |
| 5 | Efficacy and Safety of Tadalafil Monotherapy for Lower Urinary... | 2013 | Urologia Internationalis | 4.5K | ✓ |
| 6 | Development and evaluation of an abridged, 5-item version of t... | 1999 | International Journal ... | 2.9K | ✕ |
| 7 | Human Sexual Response | 1966 | — | 2.8K | ✕ |
| 8 | Sexual Behavior in the Human Female | 1954 | Harvard Law Review | 2.6K | ✕ |
| 9 | The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI): Cross-Validation and ... | 2005 | Journal of Sex & Marit... | 2.3K | ✕ |
| 10 | Organic Causes of Erectile Dysfunction in Men Under 40 | 2013 | Urologia Internationalis | 2.2K | ✓ |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI)?
The FSFI is a brief, multidimensional self-report instrument for assessing female sexual function, developed through face validity testing by an expert panel and refinement in studies with 131 normal controls and 12 others. Rosen (2000) presented its initial validation in 'The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI): A Multidimensional Self-Report Instrument for the Assessment of Female Sexual Function'. Cross-validation and clinical cutoff scores were established by Wiegel et al. (2005).
How is erectile dysfunction assessed using the IIEF?
The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) is a multidimensional scale for assessing erectile dysfunction, introduced by Rosen et al. (1997) in 'The international index of erectile function (IIEF): a multidimensional scale for assessment of erectile dysfunction'. An abridged 5-item version, IIEF-5, serves as a diagnostic tool, as developed by Rosen et al. (1999).
What prevalence data exists for sexual dysfunction in the US?
Laumann et al. (1999) in 'Sexual Dysfunction in the United States' indicated sexual dysfunction as a public health concern with emotional problems contributing to these issues. Feldman et al. (1994) in 'Impotence and Its Medical and Psychosocial Correlates: Results of the Massachusetts Male Aging Study' provided normative data on impotence prevalence from a community-based survey.
What are organic causes of erectile dysfunction in younger men?
Ludwig and Phillips (2013) in 'Organic Causes of Erectile Dysfunction in Men Under 40' identified organic etiologies in 15-72% of cases, including vascular, neurogenic, and Peyronie's disease factors. Previously, most cases under 40 were considered psychogenic.
What treatments are supported for LUTS/BPH related to sexual function?
Dong et al. (2013) in 'Efficacy and Safety of Tadalafil Monotherapy for Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Secondary to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Meta-Analysis' evaluated tadalafil's efficacy and safety through randomized controlled trials.
Open Research Questions
- ? How do endothelial function and cardiovascular disease markers predict sexual dysfunction progression across populations?
- ? What psychological interventions most effectively address hypoactive sexual desire disorder in menopausal women?
- ? Which refinements to FSFI and IIEF cutoffs improve diagnostic accuracy in diverse ethnic groups?
- ? How prevalent are organic versus psychogenic causes of erectile dysfunction in men under 40 globally?
- ? What role does androgen therapy play in managing female sexual function post-menopause?
Recent Trends
The field maintains 76,823 works with a focus on established assessment tools and prevalence studies, as no recent preprints or news coverage from the last 12 months indicate shifts.
High citation persistence is evident in top papers like Rosen with 6311 citations and Rosen et al. (1997) with 5719 citations.
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