Grant: Operating Grant - PA: Gender, Sex and Health Research

Dyspareunia, or genito-pelvic pain associated with sexual intercourse, has traditionally been considered a women's problem. Although dyspareunia is less prevalent in men, it is not uncommon and current prevalence estimates range from 2-9%. The recurrent and chronic pain associated with male dyspareunia causes much distress and is hypothesized to interfere with sexual functioning, work, and general quality of life. There is currently no known cause or effective treatment and, consequently, much confusion among health professionals about how to treat sufferers. As a result of our previous work on women, we believe that there are several subtypes or syndromes of male dyspareunia that can be described by their differing pain characteristics (intensity, quality, location, pattern, duration, history). Furthermore, we propose to study the same factors in men that predispose women to experience pain (e.g. elevated levels of anxiety, catastrophizing, hypervigilance). Finally, we propose to collect missing sensory (e.g. pain sensitivity, pelvic floor tenderness) and psychosocial information (e.g. couple/sexual functioning, abuse history). In our view, it is only through a multi-disciplinary biopsychosocial approach to this recurrent and chronic pain disorder that we will be able to develop effective treatments.