Sexual function and aging in racially and ethnically diverse women.
OBJECTIVE
To examine factors influencing sexual activity and functioning in racially and ethnically diverse middle-aged and older women.


METHODS
Cross-sectional cohort study.


METHODS
Integrated healthcare delivery system.


METHODS
One thousand nine hundred seventy-seven women aged 45 to 80.


METHODS
Self-administered questionnaires assessed sexual desire, activity, satisfaction, and problems.


RESULTS
Of the 1,977 participants (876 white, 388 African American, 347 Latina, and 351 Asian women), 43% reported at least moderate sexual desire, and 60% had been sexually active in the previous 3 months. Half of sexually active participants (n=969) described their overall sexual satisfaction as moderate to high. Among sexually inactive women, the most common reason for inactivity was lack of interest in sex (39%), followed by lack of a partner (36%), physical problem of partner (23%), and lack of interest by partner (11%); only 9% were inactive because of personal physical problems. In multivariable analysis, African-American women were more likely than white women to report at least moderate desire (odds ratio (OR)=1.65, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.25-2.17) but less likely to report weekly sexual activity (OR=0.68, 95% CI=0.48-0.96); sexually active Latina women were more likely than white women to report at least moderate sexual satisfaction (OR=1.75, 95% CI=1.20-2.55).


CONCLUSIONS
A substantial proportion of community-dwelling women remain interested and engaged in sexual activity into older age. Lack of a partner capable of or interested in sex may contribute more to sexual inactivity than personal health problems in this population. Racial and ethnic differences in self-reported sexual desire, activity, and satisfaction may influence discussions about sexual difficulties in middle-aged and older women.
Huang
Alison J
AJ
Department of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA. ahuang@ucsfmed.org
Subak
Leslee L
LL
Thom
David H
DH
Van Den Eeden
Stephen K
SK
Ragins
Arona I
AI
Kuppermann
Miriam
M
Shen
Hui
H
Brown
Jeanette S
JS
D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001213:Asian / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007989:Libido; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016387:Women's Health