Older women's attitudes, behavior, and communication about sex and HIV: a community-based study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of race and marriage on the sexual attitudes, behavior, and patient-physician communication about sexuality and HIV/AIDS among older women.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional survey of 55 community-residing women aged 58-93.


RESULTS
57% of respondents had engaged in sexual activity since the 60th birthday. Nearly 60% of single women who had been sexually active in the previous 10 years reported that they had not used a condom; 21% of women with a current sexual partner agreed that condom use is not necessary "if you can no longer get pregnant." African American women were significantly more likely to report making changes in their sexual behavior due to HIV (53% vs. 19% white, p = 0.02). Married and African American women were more likely to discuss sex with a physician (80% vs. 47%; p = 0.03 and 75% vs. 46%, p = 0.05, respectively). African Americans were more likely to have had a physician initiate such a discussion (69% vs. 38%, p = 0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
Older women in this sample were sexually active, engaged in potentially risky sexual behavior, and believed that physicians should address issues of sexuality. Older African American women were significantly more likely than white women to report HIV-related changes in their behavior and to discuss sex with a physician. This community-based study corroborates clinical research and suggests both a gap and a disparity in older women's dialogue with physicians. It also indicates the need for more broadly generalizable data on issues pertinent to older women's sexual health.
Lindau
Stacy Tessler
ST
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pritzker School of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA. slindau@babies.bsd.uchicago.edu
Leitsch
Sara A
SA
Lundberg
Kristina L
KL
Jerome
Jessica
J
D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016387:Women's Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D014932:Women's Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration