Social and economic factors are more likely to influence whether a woman is experiencing sexual dysfunction than migratory behaviours.
In a new study, researchers from Adelaide University’s School of Public Health surveyed 678 women born in Australia and overseas to compare how common sexual dysfunction was between the two groups.
The group – comprising 342 women born in Australia and 336 born overseas – were asked questions which measured sexual function across desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain.
The findings were published in the journal Frontiers in Reproductive Health.
“Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is broadly defined as persistent difficulties with desire, arousal, orgasm, or sexual pain that cause personal distress and represents one of the most prevalent yet under- recognised conditions affecting women's quality of life and wellbeing,” lead author Negin Mirzaei Damabi said.
“FSD arises from a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors, with established predictors including physical and mental health, relationship dynamics, and broader sociocultural influences.”
Damabi said almost half of both survey groups were affected by sexual dysfunction.
“The scores were almost identical in both groups, with 47% of Australian-born women and 46% of overseas-born women reporting sexual dysfunction issues,” senior author Associate Professor Zohra Lassi said.
“Numbers were nearly the same across all six domains of function as well, except for a borderline difference in sexual satisfaction favouring foreign-born women.
“Pain scores were the highest for both groups, while desire scores were the lowest for all respondents.”
While a popular theory may be that women from migrant backgrounds would have a higher chance of sexual health issues, Damabi said the study showed no such thing.
“Once we accounted for differences such as age, education and income, being born overseas did not significantly change a woman's likelihood of having sexual dysfunction,” she said.
“The broader social and economic factors mattered more.
“Sexual dysfunction is a universal burden among reproductive-aged women, it needs to be a routine part of care for everyone, not treated as a niche concern.”
Migration alone should not be used as a reliable indicator of sexual health risk, Damabi said.
“Clinicians should adopt universal screening approaches rather than using birthplace as a proxy for vulnerability,” she said.
“Longer-term studies that follow women over time would help untangle which social and economic factors most affect sexual health, and would build a fuller picture of sexual health equity across diverse populations.”