Sexual Function and Sexual Quality of Life Among Women with ChronicDiseases: A Comparative Analysis in Iran

Objectives. Chronic diseases negatively impact women’s mental and sexual health. This study compares sexual function and sexual quality of life (SQoL) in women with diabetes, CAD, COPD, or cancer to identify disease-specific patterns and inform integrated care. Study Design. Descriptive comparative study of 120 sexually active women (30 per disease group) recruited in 2021 from health centers in Isfahan, Iran. Group differences were analyzed using one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc tests. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Main Outcome Measures. Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and Sexual Quality of Life–Female (SQoL-F) scores, along with demographic variables. Results. FSFI scores were highest in the diabetes group (12.94  ±  9.82) and lowest in the cancer group (8.00  ±  7.25); satisfaction was the highest-scoring domain across all groups. Age (F = 3.04, p = 0.009) and number of children (F = 2.42, p = 0.031) significantly predicted sexual function, while disease group did not (F = 1.31, p = 0.177). SQoL scores were highest in CAD (M = 58.17, SD = 16.94) and lowest in COPD (M = 49.10, SD = 17.63). ANCOVA showed a significant effect of disease group on SQoL (F = 3.28, p = 0.024), with higher SQoL in CAD vs. COPD (p = 0.047). Conclusions. Sexual dysfunction and reduced SQoL are common among women with chronic illness. Disease-specific differences in SQoL underscore the need for tailored, patient-centered sexual health interventions in chronic disease care.