1 in 10 adults experience sexual aversion, says study

Sexual aversion (SA), which is characterized by an unwillingness to get involved in any sexual activity, occurs in nearly 10 percent of adults, reveals a study in Canada.

“SA is a chronic difficulty impacting sexual, relational, and psychological wellbeing,” said the authors, who estimated the prevalence of SA in this community-based study and examined its correlates among Canadian adults.

A total of 1,935 adults completed an online survey on sexual wellbeing. The authors estimated the prevalence rates for SA and other sexual difficulties. They also identified the factors associated with SA using multivariate logistic regression analyses.

The prevalence rate of SA was 9.7 percent (95 percent confidence interval [CI], 8.5‒11.2) in this adult population: 6.9 percent (95 percent CI, 5.1‒8.9) in men, 11.3 percent (95 percent CI, 9.4‒13.4) in women, and 17.1 percent (95 percent CI, 9.4‒27.4) in nonbinary and/or trans individuals.

Multivariate analysis explained 31 percent of the likelihood of experiencing SA, which was found to be associated with psychological distress (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.77, 95 percent CI, 1.33‒2.38), sexual satisfaction (aOR, 0.59, 95 percent CI, 0.49‒0.70), sexual performance anxiety (aOR, 2.08, 95 percent CI, 1.45‒2.98), and discomfort with sex-related information (aOR, 1.02, 95 percent CI, 1.01‒1.04).

“SA research is critical to document its prevalence in different sociodemographic groups, explore additional intrapersonal and interpersonal mechanisms involved in SA aetiology, and ensure that the needs of people living with SA are met with tailored interventions,” the authors said.

“Several psychosexual correlates of SA were documented and could be targeted by practitioners during the assessment and treatment of individuals living with SA,” they added.