Sexual aging: a systematic review of qualitative research on the sexuality and sexual health of older adults
Sexual aging: a systematic review of qualitative research on the sexuality and sexual health of older adults
Negative stereotypes regarding the sex lives of older adults persist, despite sexuality being an important factor that influences the quality of life. We conducted a systematic review of the qualitative literature on the sexuality and sexual health of older adults to address which topics have been researched and the quality of research within this field. We searched PsycINFO, SocINDEX, MEDLINE, and CINAHL for qualitative articles investigating the sexuality of adults aged 60+ years. We analyzed 69 articles using thematic analysis to synthesize their findings. We identified two overarching thematic categories: psychological and relational aspects of sexuality (personal meanings and understandings of sex, couplehood aspects, and sociocultural aspects) and health and sexuality (effects of illness and/or treatment on sexuality, and help-seeking behaviors). Research is needed into male sexual desire and pleasure, culture-specific and sexual/gender identities and their effect on outcomes such as help-seeking behavior and sexual satisfaction, and sexual risk-taking in older adults.
aging, older people, qualitative systematic review, research evaluation, sexual health, sexuality, thematic analysis
1239-1254
Sinković, Matija
f331798f-15b2-4dca-87d0-a346aff2eacf
Towler, Lauren
ebb4fb4e-703f-4e52-a9dc-53e72ca68e8f
1 July 2019
Sinković, Matija
f331798f-15b2-4dca-87d0-a346aff2eacf
Towler, Lauren
ebb4fb4e-703f-4e52-a9dc-53e72ca68e8f
Sinković, Matija and Towler, Lauren
(2019)
Sexual aging: a systematic review of qualitative research on the sexuality and sexual health of older adults.
Qualitative Health Research, 29 (9), .
(doi:10.1177/1049732318819834).
Abstract
Negative stereotypes regarding the sex lives of older adults persist, despite sexuality being an important factor that influences the quality of life. We conducted a systematic review of the qualitative literature on the sexuality and sexual health of older adults to address which topics have been researched and the quality of research within this field. We searched PsycINFO, SocINDEX, MEDLINE, and CINAHL for qualitative articles investigating the sexuality of adults aged 60+ years. We analyzed 69 articles using thematic analysis to synthesize their findings. We identified two overarching thematic categories: psychological and relational aspects of sexuality (personal meanings and understandings of sex, couplehood aspects, and sociocultural aspects) and health and sexuality (effects of illness and/or treatment on sexuality, and help-seeking behaviors). Research is needed into male sexual desire and pleasure, culture-specific and sexual/gender identities and their effect on outcomes such as help-seeking behavior and sexual satisfaction, and sexual risk-taking in older adults.
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Accepted/In Press date: 2018
e-pub ahead of print date: 25 December 2018
Published date: 1 July 2019
Keywords:
aging, older people, qualitative systematic review, research evaluation, sexual health, sexuality, thematic analysis
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 429587
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/429587
ISSN: 1049-7323
PURE UUID: ca84d165-08e2-4b55-9de7-7df92ab9760d
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Date deposited: 29 Mar 2019 17:30
Last modified: 24 Apr 2024 01:52
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Author:
Matija Sinković
Author:
Lauren Towler
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