Analysis of the sexual behavior of elderly women treated at a gynecological outpatient clinic

Rodrigues, Luara Ramos; Portilho, Patrícia; Tieppo, Alessandra; Chambo Filho, Antônio

doi:10.1590/1981-22562018021.180090

Abstract

Objective:

to analyze the sexual behavior of the elderly women treated at the gynecological outpatient clinic over a period of one year, estimating the proportion of sexually active women, those with an interest in sex, and those who considered the activity of sex important for quality of life, among other findings.

Method:

a cross-sectional, descriptive, and exploratory study was performed. A pilot study was carried out in order to adjust and validate the data collection instrument. A convenience sample of 100 women was considered for the evaluation of socio-demographic characteristics and sexual behavior, including questions relating to sexual practice and interfering factors. The data were analyzed using frequencies and percentages, and the associations were verified by Pearson’s Chi-squared test, considering a significance of 5%.

Results:

it was observed that 60.0% of the elderly women felt sexual desire, although 26.0% were sexually active. While 75.5% reported that aging does not improve the quality of sex, 83.0% believed that it is important for quality of life and 78.0% affirmed that there is no age limit for sexual activity. The cultural view of the elderly may interfere with the maintenance of a sexual life, since 51.0% reported feeling sexual prejudice due to their age.

Conclusion:

sexuality is directly related to the perception of quality of life and as it is a vital human function, can interfere in the social, professional, physical and psychic performance of the individual. The practice of and the desire for sex are not extinguished with aging, which contradicts the myth that the elderly person is an asexual being.

Keywords:
Sexuality; Elderly; Aging

[1] Correspondence
Luara Ramos Rodrigues luararamos10@hotmail.com

Characteristics	N	%
Marital status
Married	36	36.0
Widow	31	31.0
Divorced	19	19.0
Single	13	13.0
Others	1	1.0
Education
Illiterate	14	14.0
Elementary School	69	69.0
High school	14	14.0
University	3	3.0
Religion
Catholic	51	51.0
Evangelical	46	46.0
Others	2	2.0
Atheist	1	1.0
Comorbidities
Yes	78	78.0
No	22	22.0

Sexual Behavior		n	%
Do you still have sexual relations?	Yes	26	26.0
	No	74	74.0
If you answered no, would you like to have such relations?	No	44	59.5
If you answered no, would you like to have such relations?	Yes	30	40.5
Are you satisfied with the quality of the sexual intercourse you have?	No	10	38.5
	Yes	16	61.5
Do you feel sexual desire?	No	40	40.0
Do you feel sexual desire?	Yes	60	60.0
Are you ashamed to talk about sex?	No	63	63.0
Are you ashamed to talk about sex?	Yes	37	37.0
Do you think you have ever had an orgasm?	No	25	25.0
Do you think you have ever had an orgasm?	Yes	75	75.0
Do you believe that sex is important for quality of life?	No	17	17.0
Do you believe that sex is important for quality of life?	Yes	83	83.0
Do you believe there is an age limit for the end of sexual relations?	No	78	78.0
	Yes	22	22.0
Do you believe that increasing age improves the quality of sex?	No	74	75.5
	Yes	24	24.5
Do you feel a victim of sexual prejudice due to age?	No	49	49.0
Do you feel a victim of sexual prejudice due to age?	Yes	51	51.0
Do you believe that medicine can help improve sex?	No	19	19.0
Do you believe that medicine can help improve sex?	Yes	81	81.0
Have you talked to your doctor about this?	No	75	75.0
Have you talked to your doctor about this?	Yes	25	25.0
As you get older, how do you feel?	More valued	39	39.0
	Less valued	48	48.0
	Do not know	13	13.0
Factors that interfere with sexual practice	Body	36	37.1
	Anxiety	5	5.2
	Privacy	11	11.3
	Guilt	7	7.2
	None	22	22.7
	Others	36	37.1
Does your partner have any limitations with regard to sex?	Impotence	16	35.6
	Lack of desire	5	11.1
	Physical limitation	8	17.8
	No	16	35.6
Perception of sexual act	Masturbation	24	24.0
	Depends on penetration	58	58.0
	Doesn’t depend on penetration (touching, kissing ...)	41	41.0

Sexual perception	Presence of sexual desire
	No		Yes
	n	%	n	%	p
Do you still have sexual relations?	35	47.3	39	52.7	0.012
Do you still have sexual relations?	5	19.2	21	80.8
Do you think you have ever had an orgasm?	18	72.0	7	28.0	0.000
Do you think you have ever had an orgasm?	22	29.3	53	70.7
Do you believe there is an age limit for the end of sexual relations?	26	33.3	52	66.7	0.010
	14	63.6	8	36.4
Do you believe that increasing age improves the quality of sex?	34	45.9	40	54.1	0.029
	5	20.8	19	79.2
Do you believe that sex is important for quality of life ?	14	82.4	3	17.6	0.000
Do you believe that sex is important for quality of life ?	26	31.3	57	68.7