Female sexual dysfunction among foreign and Australian-born women: a cross-sectional study - Summary - MDSpire

Female sexual dysfunction among foreign and Australian-born women: a cross-sectional study

  • By

  • Negin Mirzaei Damabi

  • Mumtaz Begum

  • Jodie C. Avery

  • Salima Meherali

  • Zohra S. Lassi

  • June 16, 2026

  • 0 min

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Objective:

To compare and describe the patterns of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) among foreign-born and Australian-born women residing in Australia, highlighting the significance of migration on sexual health.

Key Findings:
  • 47.1% of Australian-born (95% CI: 41.7–52.5) and 46.1% of foreign-born (95% CI: 40.7–51.6) participants had FSD.
  • Mean FSFI total scores were similar for both groups, with Australian-born at 26.35 and foreign-born at 26.41.
  • Significant differences in FSD distribution were noted by area-level socioeconomic status among Australian-born women and by religious affiliation across the combined sample.
  • After adjustment, overseas-born women had slightly lower odds of FSD compared to Australian-born women (aOR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.62–1.28), but the confidence interval included the null.
Interpretation:

FSD affected 46.6% of survey participants overall, indicating a high prevalence of sexual dysfunction among women in Australia, with implications for healthcare access and support.

Limitations:
  • The study used a convenience sampling approach, which may limit generalizability and introduce selection bias.
  • The cross-sectional design does not allow for causal inferences.
Conclusion:

Future longitudinal research is needed to build a more complete understanding of sexual health equity across diverse populations, particularly focusing on migrant women's experiences.

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