Healthy Sex Life Can Extend Into 80s (HealthDay)

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 13 (HealthDay News) -- A satisfying sex lifeis possible as you age into your 70s and 80s, new researchsuggests.

Many older Americans are apparently taking advantage of that fact,because 68 percent of men between 57 and 85 reported having sex last year,as did 42 percent of women, according to the study's lead author, EdwardLaumann, the George Herbert Mead Distinguished Service Professor ofSociology at the University of Chicago. And, Laumann added, more olderwomen might have wanted to have sex, but there just aren't as manyavailable older men for them to partner with.

"Healthy people can have reasonably satisfying sexual health for mostof their lives," said Laumann. "There are challenges that arise, but it'snot aging, per se, that's the issue. A decline in sexuality may be thecanary in the mineshaft. Sexual problems may manifest before diabetes andhigh blood pressure."

The study findings were published in the current issue of TheJournal of Sexual Medicine.

"It's definitely whether you're elderly or "wellderly" that makes adifference," said Dr. Virginia Sadock, director of the program of humansexuality at New York University Langone Medical Center in New York City."Illness and medications make a difference in sex lives."

Other factors that can get in the way of a satisfying sex life later inlife include having had a sexually transmitted disease, and havingphysical problems, mental health issues or relationship difficulties, thestudy found.

The study included information from 1,550 women and 1,455 men betweenthe ages of 57 and 85. All participated in the National Social Life,Health and Aging Project.

Some highlights of the study include:

• Having had a sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the past nearlyquadrupled a woman's odds of having sexual pain, and it tripled the odds awoman would have lubrication problems.
• In men, a history of STD was associated with five times the risk offinding sex unpleasant.
• In both older men and women, a common factor in sexual dysfunction anda decreased interest in sex was urinary tract syndrome.
• Both older men and older women reported that mental health issuesaffected their interest in sex.
• For men, relationship troubles also contributed to a lack of interestin sex and the inability to achieve orgasm.
• Drinking alcohol daily improved a women interest in and pleasure fromsex. Alcohol didn't have that effect on men.
• Hispanic women were twice as likely to report pain duringintercourse.
• Black men were twice as likely to say they weren't interested in sexand were more likely to report climaxing early.

"Sexual health is a harbinger of physical and mental health, and itplays an important role in the quality of life," Laumann said. "Olderpeople don't just drop out of the picture. In general, if you're healthy,you can be sexually active."

Sadock added: "Don't assume that because you're older, your sex lifehas to be gone. If you're healthy and connected to someone, and you'vehad a pretty good sex life when you're younger, then you can have a prettygood sex life in old age."

More information

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