Latest Study: Elderly Women's Sexual Health Is Still Often Ignored

Illustration of an elderly couple (Photo: Freepik/Freepik)

JAKARTA - As life expectancy increases and the number of women aged 65 years and over, the accompanying health issues need to be considered.

A recent study published in the journal Menopause, belonging to The Menopaus Society, shows that the level of sexual problems in elderly women is similar to middle-aged women. But interestingly, they tend not to report any emotional disorders or pressure due to these sexual problems.

Although sexual activity generally decreases with age, sexual health remains an important part of life.

This is evidenced by Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) which found that more than 75% of middle-aged women think sex is still important for them.

Other studies show about 37% of women over the age of 65, and 10% of women over 85, are still sexually active.

The researchers suspect that elderly women may feel uncomfortable talking about sexual problems or do not know that there is effective treatment.

They also estimate that the lack of emotional pressure felt could be due to acceptance of changes that occur with age, or due to expectations of lower sexual functions.

This finding is in line with previous studies which said the aging process was often accompanied by increased emotional resilience and psychological well-being in general.

Sexual health issues are not rare. Globally, about 22% to 43% of women experience it. Sexual dysfunction in women (Female Sexual Dysfunction/FSD) is defined as a significant disorder in the response or sexual pleasure that lasts for a minimum of six months and causes personal pressure.

Although the population of elderly women continues to grow, data on the sexual health of women over the age of 65 is still very limited. Most studies so far only focus on middle-aged women or combine data between men and women.

In a recent study involving nearly 3,500 sexually active women, the researchers compared sexual health, sexual function, and emotional pressure between women aged 65 and over and those aged 50'64.

The results show that elderly women tend to more rarely report loss of sexual desire or decreased sensation in the genital area. Although they experience sexual dysfunction at almost the same level as middle-aged women, they report lower emotional pressure on these conditions.

The results of this survey were published in an article entitled "Understandment the sexual concerns of older women presenting for care to women's health clinics: a cross-sectional study."

Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director of The Menopaus Society and co-author of the study, stressed the importance of attention to sexual health, even though it is elderly.

"This study shows that although elderly women experience sexual dysfunction at a level similar to middle-aged women, they report less pressure related to these sexual problems," explains Dr. Faubion, quoted from the News-Medical page.

"It is very important to deal with sexual health issues at all stages of life, and this study confirms the need for screening and handling sexual issues throughout a woman's life." he continued.

This study serves as a reminder that sexual health is not only an issue for those who are young, but rather an integral part of the quality of life of women at all ages. With the increasing number of elderly women, it is important for health workers and the wider community to start being more open in discussing, filtering, and dealing with sexual problems in the elderly.