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Rapid Responses: Rapid Responses published:
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Rx for Sex
- Hugh Mann (19 July 2008)
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Sexuality in older people
- Imran Mushtaq (23 July 2008)
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Keep it up!
- John Doherty (24 July 2008)
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Secular trends in sexagenarians: Data from the Australian Longitudinal Study of Health and Relationships
- Jason A Ferris, Anthony MA. Smith, Marian K. Pitts, Juliet Richters, Julia M. Shelley, Judy Simpson (2 August 2008)
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Indian elders are also sexually active
- Om Prakash (23 August 2008)
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Hugh Mann, Physician Eagle Rock, MO 65641 USA
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Affection and sex are food and spice for the soul. Competing interests: None declared |
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Imran Mushtaq, Associate Specialist-Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Milton Keynes Sp-CAHMS Eaglestone Centre Milton Keynes MK6 5AZ
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Health professionals and especially doctors are not comfortable in obtaining sexual history from their patients. Although it is important for all doctors to ask about sexuality and is more so for psychiatrists who are not great in this field either. Beckman and colleagues study increases our knowledge regarding sexuality in people over 70 years of age and older people’s changing positive attitude towards sex in later age (1).Women are subjectively experiencing, increased sexual satisfaction, is one of the findings reported by the authors. We must not forget that men usually take lead in initiation of sexual activity and same is true for older males (2). Sexual trends are changing for all age groups but there is another side of the picture. Not all women in old age enjoy sexual activity. It is not uncommon to find older female patients on the psychiatric ward with presentations similar to ‘depression and anxiety disorder’, who may be using the ward as a ‘Respite’ from their partners increased sexual demands and activity. References: 1.Beckman N, Waern M, Gustafson D, Skoog I. Secular trends in self reported sexual activity and satisfaction in Swedish 70 year olds: cross sectional survey of four populations, 1971-2001. BMJ 2008; doi: 10.1136/bmj.a279. 2. Persson G. Sexuality in a 70-year-old urban population. J Psychosom Res 1980;24:335-42. Imran Mushtaq, Associate Specialist-Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Milton Keynes Sp-CAHMS Eaglestone Centre Milton Keynes MK6 5AZ Competing interests: None declared |
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John Doherty, Medical Director IAEA, Vienna, Austria 1400
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The BMJ is prominent on my desk. To save the blushes of my patients I turned over this week's edition, with its banner headline "THE SEX LIVES OF OLDER PEOPLE" (1), only later to realise that the back cover was a full-page advertisemant for BMJ Learning with the equally prominent heading "KEEP IT UP". We got the message. (1) BMJ 2008; 337: a279 Competing interests: Age 63 |
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Jason A Ferris, Research Fellow Australian Reseach Centre in Sex, Health and Society, Melbourne, Australia 3000, Anthony MA. Smith, Marian K. Pitts, Juliet Richters, Julia M. Shelley, Judy Simpson
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The research presented by Beckman et al (2008) reminds us that older people remain sexually active and that research on such topics is essential. It seems timely, therefore, to compare their results with recent research from Australia. The Australian Longitudinal Study of Health and Relationships (ALSHR) is a nationally representative random sample of men and women aged 16 to 64 who completed a computer assisted telephone interview (Smith, Pitts, Shelley, Richters, & Ferris, 2007). The sample had 635 sexagenarians (60-64): 298 women and 337 men. The majority (~80%) of this group were currently in a regular relationship; almost all of these were married and living with their partner. Twenty- five per cent of women (N=75) and 15% of men (N=49) were not in a regular relationship. As can be seen from Figure 1, regular sexual activity was the norm for those with a regular partner, with both women and men reporting an average of three sexual experiences per week.
Figure 1: Flow chart of partner status, sexual activity during the previous 12 months and frequency of sex in the last 4 weeks for men and women 60-64 years of age. Among the attitudinal statements presented to respondents was: “An active sex life is important for one's sense of well-being”; 78% of women agreed with this statement, as did 91% of men. On a four point scale (not at all, slightly, moderately and very), respondents in relationships were asked to indicate the degree of (1) physical pleasure in sex with the partner, (2) satisfaction with the sexual relationship, and (3) emotional satisfaction with the relationship. While women were less likely than men to say that sex was ‘very’ pleasurable (56% compared to 81%), there was less difference in satisfaction with the sexual relationship: 65% women and 72% men reported being very satisfied). Men (86%) were more likely than women (72%) to say they found the relationship ‘very’ emotionally satisfying. These data from ALSHR and the paper presented by Beckman et al serve as a timely reminder for health providers that older members of the community are still sexually active and still enjoying sex. Given the importance of pleasurable sexual activity for these older people, it is important that clinicians consider sexuality as an important aspect of all patients’ wellbeing regardless of their age. Beckman, N., Waern, M., Gustafson, D., & Skoog, I. (2008). Secular trends in self reported sexual activity and satisfaction in Swedish 70 year olds: cross sectional survey of four populations, 1971- 2001. BMJ, 337, a279. Smith, A. M., Pitts, M. K., Shelley, J. M., Richters, J., & Ferris, J. (2007). The Australian longitudinal study of health and relationships. BMC Public Health, 7(1), 139. Competing interests: None declared |
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Om Prakash, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry Geriatric Clinic & Services, Department of Psychiatry, NIMHANS, Bangalore, INDIA
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I want to congratulate the authors for this survey in this neglected area of sexual medicine. We, clinicians, often ignore the sexual history in elderly patients due to our moral values. I feel we must enquire this important part of health. Sharing my experience in geriatric clinic, the Indian older people remain sexually active in their 60's and 70's though females not admit easily. A good rapport with patient will give a real depth in the sexual history. Therefore, Beckman and his colleagues have given new insights in this area. Competing interests: None declared |
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