More older people enjoying sex

An increasing number of 70 year olds are enjoying good sex, more often, the results of a new study indicate.

According to a team of Swedish researchers, knowledge about sexual behaviour in older people is limited and tends to focus mainly on sexual problems. As a result, not a lot is known about ‘normal’ sexual behaviour in this group.

They set out to investigate attitudes to sex in later life. They looked at four representative population samples of 70 year olds, who they interviewed in 1971-72, 1976-77, 1992-93 and 2000-01. Altogether, over 1,500 people aged 70 were interviewed about various aspects of their sex lives, including sexual activity, sexual dysfunction and marital satisfaction.

The study found that over the 30-year period, the number of 70 year olds who reported having sexual intercourse increased – in married men from 52% to 98%, in married women from 38% to 56%, in unmarried men from 30% to 54% and in unmarried women from 0.8% to 12%.

Furthermore, the number of women reporting high sexual satisfaction increased, with more women reporting having an orgasm during sex and fewer women stating that they had never had an orgasm.

However the researchers noted that while the proportion of women reporting low satisfaction with their sex lives decreased, the proportion of men reporting low satisfaction increased. The researchers believe this may be because it is now more acceptable for men to admit ‘failure’ in sexual matters.

The study also found that the proportion of men reporting erectile dysfunction decreased, while the proportion reporting premature ejaculation did not change.

Interestingly, both men and women blame men when sexual intercourse stops between them. This finding is in line with other similar studies.

“Our study shows that most elderly people consider sexual activity and associated feelings a natural part of later life,” the researchers from the University of Gothenburg said.

Details of these findings are published in the British Medical Journal.