Sexual satisfaction of middle-aged and older adults: longitudinal findings from a nationally representative sample

Background: whilst previous studies have investigated the determinants of sexual satisfaction (i) using longitudinal data or (ii) among older adults, only a few studies have done both at the same time. Objective: the purpose of this study was to investigate the determinants of sexual satisfaction longitudinally among middle-aged and older adults. Design: nationally representative longitudinal study (German Ageing Survey-DEAS). Setting: community-dwelling individuals in Germany. Data drawn from three waves (2002, 2008, 2011). Subjects: individuals aged 40-95 (36.9% age group 65+). At wave 2 in the year 2002, n = 3,843 individuals took part. Methods: well-established and widely used scales were used to quantify the independent variables. We included variables such as sociodemographic factors, self-rated health, physical functioning, depression and loneliness in our analysis. Sexual satisfaction was our outcome measure. Results were stratified by age (40-64, 65+). To take into account the multilevel data structure, we used random coefficient models. Results: random-effects regressions showed that increased sexual satisfaction was consistently associated with the following variables in both age groups: lower number of physical illnesses, beta = -0.03, P < 0.001 (betas coefficients given for individuals 65 years and over); better self-rated health, beta = -0.06, P < 0.001; absence of depression, beta = -0.16, P < 0.01; and higher importance of sexuality and intimacy, beta = 0.08, P < 0.001. Moreover, sexual satisfaction was associated with having a partner: beta = 0.16, P < 0.001; living with a partner in the same household, beta = 0.26, P < 0.001; and a lower score of loneliness, beta = -.28, P < 0.001. In contrast, sexual satisfaction was, for example, not associated with cognitive functioning. Conclusions: the most surprising findings were that among both middle-aged and older adults, almost the same determinants (with exception of sociodemographic factors) were associated with satisfaction with sex life.

Automated summary

The study revealed that factors such as physical health, depression, partner status, and level of loneliness were closely associated with sexual satisfaction among middle-aged and older adults.