It is often difficult for patient to differentiate between desire / libido, arousal and aversion disorders. The provider might want to ask some of the follow-up questions in order to help them and their patients distinguish between primary concerns. Once they have more accurately clarified issues, they may discuss making an appropriate referral.
Women’s sexual concerns are often interlinked. A woman can become avoidant of sex because of a lack of an arousal response or because of pain she experiences, or she can be disinterested or avoidant, independent of other issues. Any or all of these can be overlapping, and because colloquial descriptions of problems do not necessarily match clinical diagnosis, it is important to distinguish between various concerns in order to provide appropriate support, referral and treatment.
It is critical for the clinician to differentiate wherever possible between sexual concerns despite the fact that the patient may be unable to do so for herself.
Sexual desire and the female sexual function index (FSFI)
ACOG Practice Bulletin 213: Female Sexual Dysfunction
AAFP: Sexual Dysfunction in Women – A Practical Approach
ISSWSH Expert Consensus Panel Review: Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder
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