SYDNEY – Sexually satisfied women scored higher on psychological well-being and the vitality index compared to their sexually dissatisfied counterparts, a new study has revealed.

The study was based on 295 women who were sexually active more than twice a month.

To assess whether sexual satisfaction and well-being were linked, the team from Monash University in Australia recruited women aged 20-65 who self-identified as being satisfied or dissatisfied with their sexual function.

“We wanted to explore the links between sexual satisfaction and well-being in women from the community and to see if there was any difference between pre-and postmenopausal women,” said Sonia Davison of the Women’s Health Programme at Monash University who led the study.

The most commonly reported sexual problems in women relate to sexual desire and interest, pleasure and satisfaction. For most women these are part of the overall sexual experience and are inextricably related.

Women were also found to be frequently sexually active despite a high level of sexual dissatisfaction.

“We found that women who were sexually dissatisfied had lower well-being and lower vitality. This finding highlights the importance of addressing these areas as an essential part of women’s health care because women may be uncomfortable discussing these issues with their doctor,” said Davison.

These findings were published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.