Sexual Satisfaction for Older Women Increases with Age into 80s
About half the women over 80 report sexual satisfaction almost always or always in new study
Jan. 3, 2012 - A new study of sexually active older women has found that sexual satisfaction in women increases with age
but those not engaging in sex are satisfied with their sex lives. A majority of study participants report frequent arousal and orgasm that
continue into old age, despite low sexual desire.
The youngest and oldest women in the study reported the highest frequency of orgasm satisfaction.
The study appears in the January issue of the American Journal of Medicine.
Researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare
System evaluated sexual activity and satisfaction as reported by 806 older women who are part of the Rancho Bernardo Study (RBS) cohort, a
group of women who live in a planned community near San Diego and whose health has been tracked for medical research for 40 years.
Half the respondents who reported having a partner had been sexually active in the last 4 weeks.
The likelihood of sexual activity declined with increasing age.
Clinical Significance
● The majority of sexually active women report frequent
arousal, lubrication, and orgasm that continue into old age despite low sexual desire.
● The youngest and the oldest women reported the
highest frequency of orgasm satisfaction.
● Sexual satisfaction increased with age and did not
require sexual activity.
● A focus on sexual satisfaction instead of sexual
dysfunction may be a better approach to female sexual health.
The majority of the sexually active women, 67.1%, achieved orgasm most of the time or always.
Among all women 40% stated that they never or almost never felt sexual desire, and one third of the sexually active women
reported low sexual desire.
The median age in the study was 67 years and 63% were postmenopausal.
"Despite a correlation between sexual desire and other sexual function domains, only 1 in 5 sexually active women
reported high sexual desire. Approximately half of the women aged 80 years or more reported arousal, lubrication, and orgasm most of the time,
but rarely reported sexual desire, said lead investigator Elizabeth Barrett-Connor, MD.
In contrast with traditional linear model in which desire precedes sex, these results suggest that women engage in
sexual activity for multiple reasons, which may include affirmation or sustenance of a relationship."
Barrett is a Distinguished Professor and Chief, Division of Epidemiology, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine,
University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.
Regardless of partner status or sexual activity, 61% of all women in this cohort were satisfied with their overall sex
life.
Although older age has been described as a significant predictor of low sexual satisfaction, the percentage of RBS
sexually satisfied women actually increased with age, with approximately half of the women over 80 years old reporting sexual satisfaction
almost always or always.
Not only were the oldest women in this study the most satisfied overall, those who were recently sexually active
experienced orgasm satisfaction rates similar to the youngest participants.
"In this study, sexual activity was not always necessary for sexual satisfaction. Those who were not sexually active may
have achieved sexual satisfaction through touching, caressing, or other intimacies developed over the course of a long relationship," says
first author Susan Trompeter, MD, Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine at
the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.
Dr. Trompeter is also a Staff Physician at the VA San Diego Healthcare System.
"Emotional and physical closeness to the partner may be more important than experiencing orgasm. A more positive approach
to female sexual health focusing on sexual satisfaction may be more beneficial to women than a focus limited to female sexual activity or
dysfunction," Trompeter concludes.
The article is "Sexual Activity and Satisfaction in Healthy Community-Dwelling Older Women," by Susan E. Trompeter, MD,
Ricki Bettencourt, MS, and Elizabeth Barrett-Connor, MD. It appears in the American Journal of Medicine, Volume 125, Issue 1 (January 2012)
published by Elsevier.
Most in the study were upper-middle class; 57% had attended at least 1 year of college; and 90% reported good to
excellent health. Half (49.8%) reported sexual activity within the past month with or without a partner, the majority of whom reported arousal
(64.5%), lubrication (69%), and orgasm (67.1%) at least most of the time, although one third reported low, very low, or no sexual desire.
The study measured the older women for
● the prevalence of current sexual activity;
● the characteristics associated with sexual activity including
◊ demographics,
◊ health, and
◊ hormone use;
● frequency of
◊ arousal,
◊ lubrication,
◊ orgasm, and
◊ pain during sexual intercourse; and
● sexual desire and
◊ satisfaction.
Notes:
Although frequency of arousal, lubrication, and orgasm decreased with age, the youngest (<55 years) and oldest (>80
years) women reported a higher frequency of orgasm satisfaction. Emotional closeness during sex was associated with more frequent arousal,
lubrication, and orgasm; estrogen therapy was not. Overall, two thirds of sexually active women were moderately or very satisfied with their
sex life, as were almost half of sexually inactive women.
When analyzed by quartiles of age, the youngest women reported the highest frequency of arousal (54.8%); however, 23.1%
of the oldest women (aged 80_ years) reported arousal almost always or always; a similar pattern for satisfaction with arousal was reported.
Level of sexual arousal and confidence about sexual arousal followed a similar distribution.
The youngest women had the highest frequency of orgasm (47.6%); however, 37.5% of the oldest women reported reaching
orgasm almost always or always.
The highest orgasm satisfaction was reported in both the youngest and oldest women; approximately 42% of women in the
youngest age quartile were very satisfied with their ability to reach orgasm, 35.4% in the second quartile, 37.7% in the third quartile, and
41.7% in the oldest quartile.
The questionnaire specified that sexual activity could include caressing, foreplay, masturbation, and intercourse.
Keep up with the latest news for senior citizens, baby
boomers
Jan. 3, 2012 - A new study of sexually active older women has found that sexual satisfaction in women increases with age
but those not engaging in sex are satisfied with their sex lives. A majority of study participants report frequent arousal and orgasm that
continue into old age, despite low sexual desire. 
OurTime.com poll finds 82% of 50+ are happier, more optimistic than when younger; 85% say companionship more important