Healthcare Utilization in Women Diagnosed with Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder: Interim Baseline Results from the HSDD Registry for Women

Objective: To investigate treatment seeking and utilization of women diagnosed with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in the clinical setting. Methods: We used interim baseline data from the ongoing HSDD Registry for Women (n = 724, enrolled at 27 clinical sites across the United States in 2008-2009). The recent diagnosis of generalized, acquired HSDD was confirmed by clinician's administration of the validated diagnostic Decreased Sexual Desire Screener. Treatment-seeking behavior was categorized as formal (discussion with a healthcare provider or use of off-label prescription treatment for HSDD) or informal/none (over-the-counter products, anonymous media, or no help seeking). Results: Over half (n = 386, 53%) of these women with clinically diagnosed HSDD had not sought formal healthcare for their decreased sexual desire problem. Among formal healthcare seekers, 36% remained untreated, whereas 64% received some form of treatment. The most common treatments reported were nonprescription lubricants or arousal creams (36%) and off-label prescription medications (20%). Women were more likely to have sought formal help if they were married/cohabiting, were postmenopausal, had private health insurance, had >5 current prescription medications, had depression symptoms, had a longer duration of sexual desire problems, or reported that the partner relationship or sense of femininity/sexual self was threatened by HSDD. Conclusions: In these women with HSDD, less than half had sought healthcare, but of those who had sought healthcare, almost two thirds received some form of treatment. Regardless of treatment-seeking behavior, most women had a strong desire to "feel like a normal person again'' regarding sexuality, which was the most common motivating factor for treatment seeking.