Socioeconomic, anthropomorphic, and demographic predictors of adult sexual activity in the United States: data from the national survey of family growth.
BACKGROUND
Individuals who engage in regular sexual intercourse are more likely to report good overall quality of life. Studies of sexuality in adolescents have focused on high-risk behaviors whereas similar studies in older adults have focused on sexual dysfunction. Given a paucity of data on the sexual behaviors of young adults and the possibility of important relationships between sexuality and overall health, we sought to determine factors that influence the frequency of intercourse in adult men and women in the United States.


OBJECTIVE
To identify factors related to coital frequency in young and middle-aged adults.


METHODS
We analyzed data from the male and female sample of the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth to examine frequency of sexual intercourse among Americans aged 25-45 years (men: N = 2,469; women: N = 5,120).


METHODS
Multivariable negative binomial regression modeling was used to test for independent associations between the frequency of sexual intercourse and demographic, socioeconomic, and anthropometric variables.


RESULTS
In this study, men and women between the ages of 25 and 45 have sex a mean 5.7 and 6.4 times per month, respectively. Being married significantly increased coital frequency for women but has no effect on male coital frequency. Increased height, less than high school education, and younger age were predictive of increased sexual frequency in men. Pregnancy was associated with significantly lower coital frequency for both men and women. No association was shown between self-reported health status and coital frequency on multivariable analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Among young male adults, coital frequency is associated with specific socioeconomic, demographic, and anthropomorphic characteristics. Sexual frequency in women does not appear to be influenced by such factors. Self-reported health is not predictive of sexual activity in this age group.
Eisenberg
Michael L
ML
University of California-The Department of Urology, San Francisco, CA, USA. meisenberg@urology.ucsf.edu
Shindel
Alan W
AW
Smith
James F
JF
Breyer
Benjamin N
BN
Lipshultz
Larry I
LI
D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D003075:Coitus; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011788:Quality of Life; D012737:Sex Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014481:United States