Sexual dysfunction and quality of life in women with panic disorder

Objective: The present study aimed to compare women with panic disorder and a healthy group in terms of anxiety, depression, healthrelated quality of life and sexual function. The second purpose is to explore the relationship between sexual dysfunction and quality of life in a panic disorder group.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled 121 women (58 patients, 83 controls). Participants were asked to complete questionnaires measuring anxiety, depression, quality of life and sexual functioning. Patients and healthy controls were evaluated by Beck Anxiety and Beck Depression Scale, Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), the Turkish version of Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and demographics questionnaire.

Results: The panic disorder group had significantly higher depression and anxiety scores than the controls. The Short-Form 36 Health Survey scores were significantly lower in all eight dimensions compared with the reference group. The vitality (VT), physical functioning (PF), bodily pain (BP), general health (GH) perceptions, physical role (RP) functioning, emotional role (RE) functioning, social role (SF) functioning and mental health (MH) dimensions of the SF-36 scale were statistically poorer in the women with panic disorder. The FSFI desire, arousal, lubrication domain scores were significantly lower in patients with panic disorder. Overall quality of life subscores were found to be significantly positively correlated with the FSFI desire, arousal, and lubrication domains.

Conclusion: The problems with sexual functioning in patients with panic disorder should prompt physicians to routinely include sexual dysfunction when assessing patients’ quality of life. This study aims to highlight the impact of sexual dysfunctions on the quality of life in women with panic disorder.