Adults aged 65 years and older are becoming the fastest-growing demographic, yet, the sexual health of older women is often understudied and untreated. A new study demonstrates their rate of sexual problems is similar to that of midlife women, although they are less likely to report distress related to their sexual problems. Results of the study are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The Menopause Society.
Although sexual activity declines with age, sexual health remains relevant throughout life and does not cease with the end of reproductive years, as demonstrated by the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) in which more than 75% of middle-aged women reported that sex was important to them. Other studies have similarly shown that 37% of women aged older than 65 years and 10% aged older than 85 years remain sexually active.
The researchers believe the results of this latest study suggest that older women may feel uncomfortable discussing sexual concerns or lack awareness of effective treatments. They additionally speculated that the lack of related distress could reflect greater acceptance of age-related changes or lower expectations regarding sexual function. This aligns with previous research showing that aging is often linked to increased emotional resilience and overall emotional well-being.
