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Cited by 528Sexual function and dysfunction studiesAging, Health, and DisabilityMarriage and Sexual Relationships

Sex, health, and years of sexually active life gained due to good health: evidence from two US population based cross sectional surveys of ageing

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Lindau, S. T., Gavrilova, N.·2010·BMJ
DOI 10.1136/bmj.c810PMC PMC2835854
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Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relation between health and several dimensions of sexuality and to estimate years of sexually active life across sex and health groups in middle aged and older adults. DESIGN: Cross sectional study. SETTING: Two samples representative of the US population: MIDUS (the national survey of midlife development in the United States, 1995-6) and NSHAP (the national social life, health and ageing project, 2005-6). PARTICIPANTS: 3032 adults aged 25 to 74 (1561 women, 1471 men) from the midlife cohort (MIDUS) and 3005 adults aged 57 to 85 (1550 women, 1455 men) from the later life cohort (NSHAP). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sexual activity, quality of sexual life, interest in sex, and average remaining years of sexually active life, referred to as sexually active life expectancy. RESULTS: Overall, men were more likely than women to be sexually active, report a good quality sex life, and be interested in sex. These gender differences increased with age and were greatest among the 75 to 85 year old group: 38.9% of men compared with 16.8% of women were sexually active, 70.8% versus 50.9% of those who were sexually active had a good quality sex life, and 41.2% versus 11.4% were interested in sex. Men and women reporting very good or excellent health were more likely to be sexually active compared with their peers in poor or fair health: age adjusted odds ratio 2.2 (P<0.01) for men and 1.6 (P<0.05) for women in the midlife study and 4.6 (P<0.001) for men and 2.8 (P<0.001) for women in the later life study. Among sexually active people, good health was also significantly associated with frequent sex (once or more weekly) in men (adjusted odds ratio 1.6 to 2.1), with a good quality sex life among men and women in the midlife cohort (adjusted odds ratio 1.7), and with interest in sex. People in very good or excellent health were 1.5 to 1.8 times more likely to report an interest in sex than those in poorer health. At age 30, sexually active life expectancy was 34.7 years for men and 30.7 years for women compared with 14.9 to 15.3 years for men and 10.6 years for women at age 55. This gender disparity attenuated for people with a spouse or other intimate partner. At age 55, men in very good or excellent health on average gained 5-7 years of sexually active life compared with their peers in poor or fair health. Women in very good or excellent health gained 3-6 years compared with women in poor or fair health. CONCLUSION: Sexual activity, good quality sexual life, and interest in sex were higher for men than for women and this gender gap widened with age. Sexual activity, quality of sexual life, and interest in sex were positively associated with health in middle age and later life. Sexually active life expectancy was longer for men, but men lost more years of sexually active life as a result of poor health than women.

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  • Many drug regimens commonly prescribed to older people may create sexual problems.

    “Lindau and Gavrilova (2010) neglected to note that many drug regimens commonly prescribed to older people may create sexual problems.”

    From Medicalization and the Refashioning of Age-Related Limits on Sexuality (2012) · cites this paper as Lindau and Gavrilova (2010)

    The Introduction (page unavailable) explicitly mentions sexual function lost as a consequence of treatments for medical conditions common in later life. The Discussion also addresses drug use and sexual function, though it does not enumerate drug regimens. Thus, the claim that the authors neglected to note treatment-related sexual problems is contrary to our copy. (LLM, conf=0.78)

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  • In research that does support a relationship between sexual activity and health status, it is unclear in which direction the causal arrows might flow.

    “In research that does support a relationship between sexual activity and health status (e.g., Lindau &amp; Gavrilova, 2010), it is unclear in which direction the causal arrows might flow.”

    From Medicalization and the Refashioning of Age-Related Limits on Sexuality (2012) · cites this paper as Lindau & Gavrilova, 2010

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Authors
Lindau, S. T., & Gavrilova, N.
Affiliations
University of Chicago (US)
Corresponding author
Lindau, S. T.
ORCID
Venue
BMJ
Publisher
BMJ
Published
2010-03-09
Volume
340
Issue
mar09 2
Pages
c810-c810
ISSN
  • 0007-1447 (ISSN-L)
  • 0959-8138
  • 1468-5833
DOI
10.1136/bmj.c810
PMC
PMC2835854
OpenAlex
W2143061410
Cited by
528
References
4
Citations by year
2026: 17 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 41 · 2022: 51 · 2021: 36 · 2020: 35 · 2019: 42 · 2018: 42 · 2017: 31 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 34 · 2014: 34 · 2013: 36 · 2012: 27
FWCI
19.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by-nc
Locations
  • BMJ (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • University of Chicago
  • National Institutes of Health
  • Nutrition Obesity Research Center, University of North Carolina
  • National Institute on Aging (P30AG012857, K23AG032870)
  • National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R24HD051152)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Sexual function and dysfunction studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Aging, Health, and Disability
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Marriage and Sexual Relationships
Keywords
sexuality, sexual activity, sexual health, sexual interest, sexual quality of life, health status, gender differences, aging, middle-aged adults, older adults, sexual frequency, MIDUS, life expectancy, sex differences in health outcomes, sexual health promotion, sexual health policy, sex education
MeSH terms
Adult, Aged, Aging, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Health Status, Humans, Libido, Life Expectancy, Male, Middle Aged, Quality of Life, Sexual Behavior, Sex Factors, United States

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