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      Sex, desire and pleasure: considering the experiences of older Australian women

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          Abstract

          Older age is often associated with asexuality. That is, older individuals are not viewed as desiring of sex, nor as sexually desirable to others. Broader social and cultural norms that downplay women's sexual desire and agency further compound these phenomena. Whether this popular image accurately reflects older women's sexual desires, behaviour and capacity to experience pleasure is unclear. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 43 partnered Australian women aged 55–81, this article considers women's sexual experiences and desires in older age. The findings of our research confirm that older women's experiences of sex and sexual desire are diverse and fluid. Some of the factors that influenced participants’ sexual behaviour and desire will be considered in this article, as will their understandings of what “counts” as sexual satisfaction and “successful sex”. The factors affecting sexual behaviour and desire also influence the way in which women are able to negotiate sexual interaction with their partners. Participants expressed a need for education and resources in order to gain greater control and to make autonomous choices over their sexual experiences, desire and ability to give and receive pleasure. The implications of these findings for practitioners are also considered.

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          Most cited references58

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          A study of sexuality and health among older adults in the United States.

          Despite the aging of the population, little is known about the sexual behaviors and sexual function of older people. We report the prevalence of sexual activity, behaviors, and problems in a national probability sample of 3005 U.S. adults (1550 women and 1455 men) 57 to 85 years of age, and we describe the association of these variables with age and health status. The unweighted survey response rate for this probability sample was 74.8%, and the weighted response rate was 75.5%. The prevalence of sexual activity declined with age (73% among respondents who were 57 to 64 years of age, 53% among respondents who were 65 to 74 years of age, and 26% among respondents who were 75 to 85 years of age); women were significantly less likely than men at all ages to report sexual activity. Among respondents who were sexually active, about half of both men and women reported at least one bothersome sexual problem. The most prevalent sexual problems among women were low desire (43%), difficulty with vaginal lubrication (39%), and inability to climax (34%). Among men, the most prevalent sexual problems were erectile difficulties (37%). Fourteen percent of all men reported using medication or supplements to improve sexual function. Men and women who rated their health as being poor were less likely to be sexually active and, among respondents who were sexually active, were more likely to report sexual problems. A total of 38% of men and 22% of women reported having discussed sex with a physician since the age of 50 years. Many older adults are sexually active. Women are less likely than men to have a spousal or other intimate relationship and to be sexually active. Sexual problems are frequent among older adults, but these problems are infrequently discussed with physicians. Copyright 2007 Massachusetts Medical Society.
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            Sexual expression in later life: a review and synthesis.

            In the past decade, researchers have begun to study the sexual functioning of typical older persons. This review summarizes literature on the sexuality of men and women over age 50 as researched by social and health scientists. Research on the relationship of biological factors (changes accompanying aging), health (physical, mental, and medication use), psychological factors (attitudes, information about sex), relationship factors (status, satisfaction), and sexual functioning (desire, dysfunctions, treatment) to sexual behavior is reviewed. The review suggests that (a) men and women remain sexually active into their 70s and 80s, (b) aging-related physical changes do not necessarily lead to decline in sexual functioning, and (c) good physical and mental health, positive attitudes toward sex in later life, and access to a healthy partner are associated with continued sexual activity. In turn, regular sexual expression is associated with good physical and mental health. Progress in understanding later life sexuality requires development of comprehensive theoretical models, a broad focus on intimacy, attention to measures and samples, and research on couples. Progress in understanding is especially important, given the aging of populations.
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              Seeking medical help for sexual concerns in mid- and later life: a review of the literature.

              Research consistently reports that older people tend not to seek medical help for sexual concerns or difficulties. This article reviews the literature to examine help-seeking for, and doctor-patient interactions about, sexual problems in the middle and later life age groups. Twenty-five articles from 1999 to 2010 were identified and analyzed. Significant barriers to seeking medical help included psychosocial factors relating to the patient, such as thinking that sexual changes were "normal with ageing," and also to the doctor-for example, assuming that sex was less important to older patients than it was to their younger patients. Inadequate training at medical school for health care professionals (HCPs) was also identified as a barrier. People were more likely to seek help if their doctor had asked about sexual function during a routine visit sometime during the previous three years. However, doctors tended not to take a proactive approach to sexual health management, and indeed often had limited knowledge of later-life sexuality issues. There are clear implications for sexual well-being if the doctor does not ask and the patient does not tell. Providing education about later-life sexuality for HCPs is crucial if we are to meet the needs of older patients in useful and effective ways.
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                Author and article information

                Journal
                Sex Relation Ther
                Sex Relation Ther
                CSMT
                csmt20
                Sexual and Relationship Therapy
                Routledge
                1468-1994
                1468-1749
                2 January 2015
                18 July 2014
                : 30
                : 1 , Sexuality and Aging
                : 117-130
                Affiliations
                [ a ]Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University , Melbourne, Australia
                [ b ]School of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, University of New England , Armidale, Australia
                [ c ]School of Science and Health, University of Western Sydney , Campbelltown, Australia
                Author notes
                [* ]Corresponding author. Email: B.Fileborn@ 123456latrobe.edu.au
                Article
                936722
                10.1080/14681994.2014.936722
                4270421
                25544829
                990febb5-9266-494c-82ff-fbde10a7dbb1
                © 2014 The Author(s). Published by Taylor & Francis.

                This is an Open Access article. Non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly attributed, cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way, is permitted. The moral rights of the named author(s) have been asserted.

                History
                : 22 February 2014
                : 10 June 2014
                Page count
                Figures: 0, Tables: 1, References: 39, Pages: 14
                Funding
                This research was funded by the Australian Research Council [grant number DP110101199].
                Categories
                Original Articles

                sexuality,older women,sexual desire,sexual education,sexual resources

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