A new study from the University of Chicago suggests that sexual dysfunction is not an inevitable part of aging; rather, it is strongly related to mental and physical health, demographics and lifetime experiences, many of which are interrelated. Interestingly, the study found that a history of sexually transmitted disease has a significant impact on sexual health later in life. "Having had a STD roughly quadruples a woman's odds of reporting sexual pain and triples her lubrication problems," said Edward Laumann, the lead author of the study, published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine. He added that men are more than five times as likely to report sex as non-pleasurable if they have previously had an STD.
The study, based on interviews with women and men aged between 57 and 85, collected data on social life, sexuality, health, and a broad range of biological measures. As well as establishing that physical health was a bigger predictor of sexual problems for men than it was for women, the new study found that among older women, a common factor correlated with sexual dysfunction was urinary tract syndrome, which was associated with decreased interest in sex.
Among men, mental health issues and relationship problems contributed to a lack of interest in sex and the inability to achieve orgasm, while being treated for urinary tract syndrome was associated with trouble maintaining and achieving an erection.
Surprisingly, daily alcohol consumption seems to improve a woman's sexual health, increasing her interest and pleasure in sex. Among men, there was no reported impact of alcohol consumption. Demographic characteristics and cultural factors also are related to sexual performance, the study found. Hispanic women were twice as likely to report pain during intercourse. Among men, blacks were twice as likely to report a lack of interest in sex and more likely to report climaxing too early.
"The results point to a need for physicians who are treating older adults experiencing sexual problems to take into account their physical health and also consider their mental health and their satisfaction with their intimate relationship in making any assessment," concluded Lauman.
Related:
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New Insights Into Female Sexual Dysfunction
Source: University of Chicago
