Frequent Cannabis Use Moderates the Relationship Between Sexual Dysfunction and Depression Among Female German Adults

BACKGROUND: Sexual dysfunction and heavy substance use (alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis) play an important role in the development of depression, while frequent substance use affects sexual dysfunction.

AIM: This study aimed to investigate the association between sexual dysfunction and depression among German adults in a nationally representative sample and the effect of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use on this association using moderator analysis.

METHODS: Data come from the German Health and Sexuality Survey (GeSiD) with N = 4,955 men and women aged between 18 and 75 years. We used multiple logistic regression analysis to examine the moderation effect of substance use between sexual dysfunction and depression by including an interaction term.

OUTCOMES: Self-reported diagnosed and treated depression within the last 12 months and the moderation effect of substance use on the association between sexual dysfunction and depression.

RESULTS: Men and women with at least 1 sexual dysfunction were more likely to be affected by depression as compared to those without sexual dysfunction. A moderation effect of frequent cannabis use was found between sexual dysfunction and depression among women.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Clinicians and therapists addressing addiction, depression, and dysfunction should keep the complex interactions in mind.

STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS: This study provides new data on the association between sexual dysfunction and depression among German adults in a nationally representative sample and the moderation effect of substance use on this association. Further studies should disentangle the pathways between sexual dysfunction, cannabis use, and depression through moderated mediation analyses.

CONCLUSION: Frequent cannabis use plays a moderating role in the association between sexual dysfunction and depression among German adult women. Belau MH, Wiessner C, Becher H, et al. Frequent Cannabis use Moderates the Relationship between Sexual Dysfunction and Depression Among Female German Adults. J Sex Med 2022;19:940-949.