25th
July
2007
posted in Sexuality |
A comprehensive national survey of sexuality has never been done for any age group. Therefore, the nature and frequency of sexual activity among the elderly, including its association with marital or health status or any other variable, is unknown. Available data consist of the important but now historic and limited Kinsey studies (1948 to 1949), the physiologic investigations of Masters and Johnson, and the findings of both the Duke Longitudinal Studies and the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging. Questionnaire surveys of self-reported sexual activity have been conducted by mail (eg, by Consumers Union). The most important conclusion is that contrary to prevailing beliefs, sexual desire and satisfaction are important to many elderly persons. A number of factors (eg, low intrinsic drive dating back to youth, physical disability, poor marital relationship, or the death of a spouse or companion) may be responsible for an older person’s being disinterested in sex or having an inhibited sexual drive.
A sexual history, with emphasis on current sexual function, should be part of the general medical evaluation of an older person. Physicians should handle sexual issues with dignity and skill. The discomfort physicians may feel in discussing the subject is often the result of negative stereotypes, personal anxieties, objections to the expression of sexuality by the elderly, or simply ignorance.
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on Wednesday, July 25th, 2007 at 3:49 am and is filed under Sexuality.
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25th
July
2007
posted in Sexuality |
A comprehensive national survey of sexuality has never been done for any age group. Therefore, the nature and frequency of sexual activity among the elderly, including its association with marital or health status or any other variable, is unknown. Available data consist of the important but now historic and limited Kinsey studies (1948 to 1949), the physiologic investigations of Masters and Johnson, and the findings of both the Duke Longitudinal Studies and the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging. Questionnaire surveys of self-reported sexual activity have been conducted by mail (eg, by Consumers Union). The most important conclusion is that contrary to prevailing beliefs, sexual desire and satisfaction are important to many elderly persons. A number of factors (eg, low intrinsic drive dating back to youth, physical disability, poor marital relationship, or the death of a spouse or companion) may be responsible for an older person’s being disinterested in sex or having an inhibited sexual drive.
A sexual history, with emphasis on current sexual function, should be part of the general medical evaluation of an older person. Physicians should handle sexual issues with dignity and skill. The discomfort physicians may feel in discussing the subject is often the result of negative stereotypes, personal anxieties, objections to the expression of sexuality by the elderly, or simply ignorance.
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, July 25th, 2007 at 3:49 am and is filed under Sexuality.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
