Seventy-Five Years Old and Still Going Strong: Stability and Change in Sexual Interest and Sexual Enjoyment in Elderly Men and Women Across Europe

What is it about?

Aim: To test a conceptual model of retrospectively-assessed change in sexual interest and sexual enjoyment in the past 10 years among coupled older adults in Norway, Denmark, Belgium, and Portugal. To determine the degree to which structural influences, personal characteristics, and interpersonal factors predict the dynamics of sexual interest and enjoyment in partnered adults. Methods: A cross-sectional postal survey, with national probability-based samples of the population aged 60–75 years recruited by phone registers in Norway (676 men, 594 women), Denmark (530 men, 515 women), Belgium (318 men, 672 women), and Portugal (236 men, 273 women). Results: Across countries, personal characteristics—primarily general health status—were the most important predictors of change in sexual interest and sexual enjoyment in men. Change in sexual interest and enjoyment among women (except for Portuguese women) was best predicted by interpersonal factors. Conclusion: Good health, an active sex life throughout the lifespan, direction of relationship, and feeling emotionally close to partner during sex are important factors in maintaining sexual interest and enjoyment among partnered older adults in Europe.

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