title: Sexual activity in Brazilian women aged 50 years or older within the framework of a population-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of sexual activity, factors associated with being sexually active, and sexual self-perception in women 50 years or older living in a Brazilian city.
  
  
  METHODS
  This population-based study applied a questionnaire to a random sample of 622 Brazilian women 50 years or older, representative of a population of 131,800 women, to obtain data on sexual activity and women's perception of their sexual life as part of a broader study that dealt with women's health. Associations between sexual activity, women's perception of their sexual life, and demographic, behavioral, and medical characteristics were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 36.7% of the participants reported being sexually active. Of these, 53.5% classified their sexual life as very good or good. Multiple regression analysis showed that the main factors associated with the absence of sexual activity were not having a partner (prevalence ratio [PR], 0.16; 95% CI, 0.12-0.23; P < 0.001), aging (PR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.94-0.96; P < 0.001), and current or past smoking of five or more cigarettes per day (PR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.63-0.98; P = 0.034), whereas being sexually active was associated with the practice of physical activity (PR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.02-1.41; P = 0.032). A woman's classification of her sexual life as very poor, poor, or fair was associated with current or past use of natural remedies to treat menopausal symptoms (PR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.06-1.81; P = 0.020).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The main factors associated with the absence of sexual activity are not having a sexual partner, aging, and smoking, whereas weekly physical activity is associated with being sexually active. A poorer classification of a woman's sexual life is associated with her having used natural remedies to treat menopausal symptoms.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Lúcia Ribeiro
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Valadares
authors.forename: Vanessa S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Santos Machado
authors.forename: Lúcia S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: da Costa-Paiva
authors.forename: Maria Helena
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Maria José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Osis
authors.forename: Aarão M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pinto-Neto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D012649:Self Concept; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012907:Smoking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires