Cantly less likely to be sexually active than women from the general population sample (OR = 1.97, 95 CI = 1.41?2.75, P,0.001), controlling for both age and marital status, as were patients with diffuse SSc (OR = 2.15, 95 CI = 1.32?.51, P = 0.002).Comparison of Sexual Domains in SSc and Population SampleDifferences in sexual domain scores between women with SSc and women from the population sample, unadjusted and adjusted for total FSFI score, can be found in Table 4. For all domains of sexual functioning, 1676428 women with SSc had significantly worse scores, indicating greater impairment, than women from the general population. Controlling for total FSFI scores, pain and lubrication scores were significantly worse for women with SSc. Pain and lubrication scores were more highly correlated amongst women with SSc (r = 0.62, P,0.001) than among women from the population sample (r = 0.36, P,0.001). Correlations of FSFI domain scores with sexual satisfaction scores for the SSc sample and the general population sample can be found in Table 5. For all sexual domains and for the FSFI total score, correlations with sexual satisfaction were substantially higher among women with SSc than among women from the population sample.Sexual Activity in SSc Compared to Population SampleRates of sexual activity, stratified by age group and marital status, are presented in Table 2. There 25837696 were relatively few women with SSc in the 18?9 and 30?9 age groups for both 13655-52-2 site Married and unmarried women. Among all other age group/marital status combinations, women with SSc were significantly less likely to be sexually active than women from the UK population sample. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, older age was significantly associated with a lower likelihood of sexual activity (odds ratio [OR] = 0.94, 95 Linolenic acid methyl ester biological activity confidence interval [CI] = 0.93?0.94, P,0.001), while those who were married were more likely to be sexually active (OR = 2.21, 95 CI = 1.82?.68, P,0.001). Controlling for age and marital status, women with SSc were significantly less likely to be sexually active than women from the general population sample (OR = 0.34, 95 CI = 0.28?.41, P,0.001). The model had adequate discriminative power (cindex = 0.742) and calibration (P = 0.288 for the HL statistic). In post-hoc sensitivity analyses, women with more than a high school education level were significantly more likely to be sexually active (OR = 1.26, 95 CI = 1.02?.57, P = 0.035). Inclusion of the education variable in the modeldid not substantively influence the assocation of any of the other variables in the core model with sexual activity. When separate models were run for patients with limited and diffuse SSc, patients with limited SSc were significantlyDiscussionThis is the first study to compare rates of sexual activity and function in a sample of 
women living with a serious chronic disease to women from a general population sample. Although the SSc sample was from Canada and the general population sample was from the UK, the results were sufficiently robust to be confident that, controlling for age and marital status, women with SSc were significantly less likely to be sexually active and significantly more likely to be sexually impaired than women from a generalFemale Sexual Functioning in Systemic SclerosisTable 2. Comparison of sexual activity rates between women with systemic sclerosis and women from a UK general population sample, stratified by age and marital status.Married CSRG Age Group 18?.Cantly less likely to be sexually active than women from the general population sample (OR = 1.97, 95 CI = 1.41?2.75, P,0.001), controlling for both age and marital status, as were patients with diffuse SSc (OR = 2.15, 95 CI = 1.32?.51, P = 0.002).Comparison of Sexual Domains in SSc and Population SampleDifferences in sexual domain scores between women with SSc and women from the population sample, unadjusted and adjusted for total FSFI score, can be found in Table 4. For all domains of sexual functioning, 1676428 women with SSc had significantly worse scores, indicating greater impairment, than women from the general population. Controlling for total FSFI scores, pain and lubrication scores were significantly worse for women with SSc. Pain and lubrication scores were more highly correlated amongst women with SSc (r = 0.62, P,0.001) than among women from the population sample (r = 0.36, P,0.001). Correlations of FSFI domain scores with sexual satisfaction scores for the SSc sample and the general population sample can be found in Table 5. For all sexual domains and for the FSFI total score, correlations with sexual satisfaction were substantially higher among women with SSc than among women from the population sample.Sexual Activity in SSc Compared to Population SampleRates of sexual activity, stratified by age group and marital status, are presented in Table 2. There 25837696 were relatively few women with SSc in the 18?9 and 30?9 age groups for both married and unmarried women. Among all other age group/marital status combinations, women with SSc were significantly less likely to be sexually active than women from the UK population sample. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, older age was significantly associated with a lower likelihood of sexual activity (odds ratio [OR] = 0.94, 95 confidence interval [CI] = 0.93?0.94, P,0.001), while those who were married were more likely to be sexually active (OR = 2.21, 95 CI = 1.82?.68, P,0.001). Controlling for age and marital status, women with SSc were significantly less likely to be sexually active than women from the general population sample (OR = 0.34, 95 CI = 0.28?.41, P,0.001). The model had adequate discriminative power (cindex = 0.742) and calibration (P 
= 0.288 for the HL statistic). In post-hoc sensitivity analyses, women with more than a high school education level were significantly more likely to be sexually active (OR = 1.26, 95 CI = 1.02?.57, P = 0.035). Inclusion of the education variable in the modeldid not substantively influence the assocation of any of the other variables in the core model with sexual activity. When separate models were run for patients with limited and diffuse SSc, patients with limited SSc were significantlyDiscussionThis is the first study to compare rates of sexual activity and function in a sample of women living with a serious chronic disease to women from a general population sample. Although the SSc sample was from Canada and the general population sample was from the UK, the results were sufficiently robust to be confident that, controlling for age and marital status, women with SSc were significantly less likely to be sexually active and significantly more likely to be sexually impaired than women from a generalFemale Sexual Functioning in Systemic SclerosisTable 2. Comparison of sexual activity rates between women with systemic sclerosis and women from a UK general population sample, stratified by age and marital status.Married CSRG Age Group 18?.