American Oldies Still Sexually Active: Study

Debunking old myths that posted a negative correlation between sex and old age, a new U.S. study shows most American oldies are enjoying a sexually active life despite experiencing sexual problems.

A nationwide survey of sexual attitudes, behaviors and problems conducted by the University of Chicago's National Social Life, Health and Aging Project (NSHAP), the results of the study are published in the August 23 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

For the purpose of the study, the researchers enrolled more than 3,000 U.S. adults (1,550 women and 1,455 men, all aged between 57 and 85 years) and questioned them about their sexual life. The study was based on interviews conducted between July 2005 and March 2006.

Though a large portion of the respondents reported to be sexually active, the prevalence of sexual activity declined slightly with age.

The results of the study revealed that sexual activity remains rather stable in the 57-64 and 65-74 age groups. About two-thirds of sexually active men and women in this age group were reported to have sex at least two or three times a month. This proportion dropped to 54 percent after age 75. This decline was, however, attributed more to medical problems than to age.

As age progressed, nearly half of the sexually active respondents complained of sexual problems like lack of desire (experienced by 43 percent of women), vaginal dryness (39 percent of women) or erectile dysfunction (37 percent of men).

The findings of the study further unveiled the fact that women were less likely to be sexually active than men in all age groups. Moreover, most women opined that sex was “not at all important”.

Commenting upon the results, study lead author Dr. Stacy Tesser Lindau, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology and of medicine-geriatrics at the University of Chicago quoted, "The prevalence of sexual activity declines with age, yet a substantial number of men and women engage in vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and masturbation even in the eighth and ninth decades of life."

Prior to this, most studies looked at sexuality in older people, especially men with erectile problems. There was practically no baseline data on sexuality in later life. Lindau hopes the new findings will improve communication between patients and doctors.

In an editorial accompanying the study, Dr. John Bancroft of the Kinsey Institute wrote in an editorial that it is can no longer be presumed that older people are not sexually active. In fact the need of the hour is to push medical treatment to foster sexual activity.