A 10-Year Interval Study About the Sexual Life and Attitudes of Korean Women: The Korean Internet Sexuality Survey (KISS) 2014, Part 2

Background Many studies on sexual attitudes and behavior have been performed to improve sexual health. Aim To evaluate changing trends in Korean female sexual life and attitudes in an internet-based survey at 10-year intervals. Methods The survey was targeted toward 20- to 59-year-old women who were asked to complete the questionnaire only if they were sexually active. The survey contained 110 questions about demographic statistics, sexual life, and attitudes that were crafted based on the 2004 study. Outcomes Results of the 2004 study vs those of the 2014 study. Results In total, 516 women participated in the study; the questionnaire response rate was 16.0%. The mean frequency of intercourse (FOI) per month was 3.46 ± 2.56 in 2014 vs 5.34 ± 3.84 in 2004. Women in their 20s and 30s in 2014 reported a lower mean FOI than those in 2004. There was no significant difference in the mean FOI in 2004 vs 2014 for women who in their 40s. Risk factors for lower FOI were being older, being single, and having dyspareunia. Most Korean women had positive attitudes toward sex (3.2 ± 0.6 of 5) and considered it as important (3.3 ± 0.7 of 5) as those surveyed in 2004. However, women 20 to 39 years old had less positive attitudes toward sex than in the past decade. Women in their 40s were more active and had more conversations with their partners. Of women using contraceptives, 63.8% were found to use less effective methods, such as intercourse withdrawal and the fertility awareness method. Clinical Implications Assessment of changing trends in Korean female sexual life, attitudes, and contraceptive methods could help to establish proper national sexual education programs and campaigns. Strengths and Limitations This study was not a cohort study, because subjects in the 2014 were not identical to those in the 2004 study. Nevertheless, we applied the same inclusion and exclusion criteria for this internet survey, a suitable tool to evaluate the sex life of women, which is often considered a sensitive and private issue in Asian culture. Conclusions Compared with the 2004 survey, young Korean women had fewer sexual relationships and had a less positive attitude toward sex. In addition, many women used less effective methods of contraception.