Substance use and sexual functioning in women: An intricate interplay

Abstract

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are a significant publichealth problem, and women, contrary to popular belief, areno exception to this phenomenon. Surveys suggest thatwomen using substances are a small but significant groupand can be difficult to access and target. Sexual health inthese women is of particular importance because mostdrugs of abuse have a bearing on sexual functioning. Theexact mechanisms through which they cause sexualdysfunction is still under scrutiny. Treatment of substanceuse disorders in women requires a gender-sensitiveapproach. Drug use and sexual functioning have a complexand multidimensional relationship. In this article, theauthors examine this relationship; and review relevantliterature on drug use in women, drug-induced femalesexual dysfunction, and management strategies for thesame. It can be concluded that there is a conspicuous lackof sufficient literature in this area, especially in the Indiancontext, which needs to be remedied at the earliest.