Introduction: Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is a prevalent sexual health problem that has been inadequately investigated in Malaysia, a nation with a conservative multiethnic society.
Aim: To validate the Malay version of the Female Sexual Function Index (MVFSFI) for the study of FSD.
Main outcome measure: To measure the validity and reliability of the MVFSFI and its domains.
Methods: Validation was carried out on aspects of face, content, discriminant, and criterion (concurrent) validity. Reliability studies on test-retest and on internal consistency were conducted with Cronbach's alpha and Pearson correlation, respectively. The values with the highest sensitivity and specificity generated from the receiver operating characteristic curves were taken as the cutoff scores to differentiate cases and noncases.
Results: A total of 230 married women aged 18-70 years participated in this study. There was a high test-retest correlation by respondents (r at least >0.7). The MVFSFI was found to have good discriminant validity as a whole and for each domain. A total score of 55 was taken as the cutoff point for the MVFSFI to distinguish between women with sexual dysfunction and those without (sensitivity = 99%, specificity = 97%). Scores lower than 55 indicate sexual dysfunction. The cutoff score for each domain was also established for the MVFSFI: </=5 for sexual desire disorder (sensitivity = 95%, specificity = 89%); </=9 for sexual arousal disorder (sensitivity = 77%, specificity = 95%); </=10 for disorder of lubrication (sensitivity = 79%, specificity = 87%); </=4 for orgasmic disorder (sensitivity = 83%, specificity = 85%); </=11 for sexual dissatisfaction (sensitivity = 83%, specificity = 85%); and </=7 for sexual pain disorder (sensitivity = 86%, specificity = 95%).
Conclusion: The MVFSFI is a validated and locally accepted questionnaire for use in the assessment of FSD in the Malaysian population.