Physical Intimacy Is an Important Part of Sexual Activities: Korean Older Adults Study

Abstract

Introduction: Sexual activity can be broadly defined to include not only sexual intercourse but also physical intimacy. However, most studies of sexual activity in older adults have a limited focus on sexual intercourse only.

Aim: The aim was to investigate sexual activities including sexual intercourse and physical intimacy in community-dwelling older Korean adults.

Methods: This study was based on cross-sectional data to measure sexual activities (sexual intercourse and physical intimacy) in 209 participants (100 men and 109 women) aged 65 years or older. Sexual intercourse and physical intimacy were defined as vaginal penetration and as any sexual behavior with sexual arousing (eg, kissing, caressing), respectively. Erectile dysfunction was evaluated by the use of the International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire, and female sexual dysfunction was evaluated by Female Sexual Function Index scores.

Main outcome measure: Trained interviewers collected the survey information on sexual activities in the last 6 months at the senior welfare center.

Results: The participants' mean age was 73.4 ± 4.8 years (men, 74.2 ± 5.0 years; women, 71.6 ± 5.3 years). The prevalence of erectile dysfunction was 91.0% (91/100), and the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction was 96.3% (105/109). In the previous 6 months, 122 participants (58.4%) reported sexual activities, and men reported more sexual activities than women (P = .001). A total of 69.6% of men and 41.9% of women engaged in sexual activity with intercourse, whereas 30.4% of men and 58.1% of women engaged in physical intimacy only. The physical intimacy-only group was more likely to have erectile dysfunction or female sexual dysfunction than the sexual intercourse group (P = .035 and P = .012, respectively).

Conclusions: Although sexual intercourse is an important part of sexual activity, our study results suggest that physical intimacy is also a considerable component of sexual activity that should not be neglected in older adults, especially in women. Our findings imply that health-care professionals need to consider physical intimacy as part of sexual activity in the assessment of geriatric patients with sexual dysfunction. Chung HS, Kim GH, Shin M-H, et al. Physical Intimacy Is an Important Part of Sexual Activities: Korean Older Adults Study. Sex Med 2020;8:643-649.

Keywords: Aged; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Dysfunction; Sexual Health.

Figure 1

Percentage of participants who reported sexual activity in the last 6 months.