Study: Seniors Still Engaging in Sex

A survey recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine (Lindau et al., 2007. A Study of Sexuality and Health among Older Adults in the United States , 357(8): 762-774) shows the elderly aren't afraid of engaging in sex.

Sure, there is a certain stigma attached with getting old and the "use it or lose it" mantra, but it simply isn't true.

Three thousand US adults between the ages of 57-85 years old were surveyed, and the following information was gathered:

• Marital history, cohabiting history
• Information on last 3 sexual partners
• Information on the frequency of sexual encounters in the past 12 months
• Information on the particular variety of sexual encounter (use your imagination...)
• Now Sex? How come?
• And a variety of other questions concerning the nature of their sexual encounters

And here are some of the results (figures from study):
Blue = men; Red = women

(See Footage to the right for Figures)

What's interesting to note is - between 20-50% of those in the highest age bracket are still sexually active, even those in poor health!  Furthermore, between 80-95% in the lowest age bracket are still sexually active - I can only hope to be included in this upon my 57th birthday.

On average, it appears women among all the age groups surveyed are less likely to engage in sexual acts - I am curious how this compares with younger men and women.

When asked why, the majority of women answered "Partner’s physical health problems or limitations" (63-65%), followed by 'Lack of Interest' (23-25%), and
'Partner not interested in sex(16-20%).

Conversely, as you might have guessed the primary reason men aren't engaging in sex is due to their physical health problems, although it appears men aren't admitting to it (compare 40-61% with 63-65% for all age groups)

One last interesting factoid to keep in the back of your heard for your next game of Trivial Pursuit - Baby Boomers edition: between one third and one half as many 75-85 year olds are resisting their biological imperative due to the fear of contracting an STD than are the 57-75 year olds.

I wonder if teen sexual health clinics should start a senior's program?