Declining sexual activity and desire in men: findings from representative German surveys, 2005 and 2016.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Surveys have indicated an increase of sexual activity in aging men; recently, however, a decrease of sexual activity has been reported in young men. AIM: To assess (i) sexual activity and desire and their determinants across the age range in a population-based male sample and (ii) their changes over 11 years. METHODS: A representative survey of men (N = 1,095) 18 to 93 years old from 2016 was compared with a survey from 2005 (N = 1,106 men) with the same age range. Samples were drawn from the German population at random using standardized sampling procedures. Questions were filled out by participants in the presence of a trained interviewer. Sexual activity was compared using logistic regression with the factors survey (2005 vs 2016), living with a partner (yes vs no), and age. Frequency of sexual desire was compared using analysis of covariance with the factors survey (2005 vs 2016), living with a partner (yes vs no), and the covariate age. OUTCOMES: Sexual activity was assessed as having been intimate with someone in the past year; frequency of sexual desire was evaluated within the past 4 weeks. RESULTS: The great majority of men cohabiting with a partner in 2016 was sexually active and indicated sexual desire until 70 years of age; half did so at an older age. Across the age range, men living without a partner reported considerably less sexual activity and desire. Compared with 2005, fewer men reported living with a partner. The overall proportion of men reporting sexual activity deceased from 81% to 73% in 2016 and absent sexual desire increased from 8% to 13%. CLINICAL TRANSLATION: The findings highlight the relevance of living with a partner for sexual activity and desire. We advocate using a measure of sexual activity that encompasses many variants of intimate behavior. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: Large and methodologically comparable population-based samples were compared. However, interpretations are limited by the absence of longitudinal data. We did not assess the effect of having a partner living elsewhere. CONCLUSION: Sexual activity and desire decreased, especially in the young and middle-age groups. The decrease of men living with a partner contributed to this decreased sexual activity and desire. There was a generation effect, with younger and middle-age men living without a partner becoming less sexually active and experiencing less desire compared with the previous survey. The findings unveil changes in sexual activity and desire in a short time span. Beutel ME, Burghardt J, Tibubos AN, et al. Declining Sexual Activity and Desire in Men-Findings From Representative German Surveys, 2005 and 2016. J Sex Med 2018;15:750-756.
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- Authors
- Beutel, M. E., Burghardt, J., Tibubos, A. N., Klein, E. M., Schmutzer, G., & Brähler, E.
- Affiliations
- University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (DE)
- Leipzig University (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Burghardt, Juliane
- Venue
- The Journal of Sexual Medicine
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2018-05-01
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 750-756
- ISSN
- 1743-6095 (ISSN-L)
- 1743-6109
- OpenAlex
- W2802141521
- Cited by
- 53
- References
- 17
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 5
- FWCI
- 4.49
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- The Journal of Sexual Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Sexual function and dysfunction studies
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Marriage and Sexual Relationships
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
- Keywords
- sexual activity, sexual desire, men, age differences, living arrangements, cohabitation, partner status, generational change, sexual behavior trends, older men, young men, Germany
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Germany, Humans, Libido, Male, Middle Aged, Puberty, Precocious, Surveys and Questionnaires, Sexual Behavior, Socioeconomic Factors, Logistic Models, Young Adult
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