ArticleBMJ (Clinical research ed.)2019
Changes in, and factors associated with, frequency of sex in Britain: evidence from three National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal).
Article in BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 21 papers.
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Who cites it
21 citing papers in PubMed.
- Sexual intercourse frequency and fecundability in the Norwegian mother, father and child cohort study.PloS one · 2026Article
- Choosiness as a Predictor of Sexual (In)frequency in Single Heterosexual Adults.Archives of sexual behavior · 2025Article
- A Maltese Perspective of Sex: a Maltese cross-sectional study.Sexual medicine · 2025Article
- Factors associated with lifetime use of commercial sex work services among Japanese men aged 20-49: findings from a quasi-representative national survey, 2022.Sexually transmitted infections · 2024Article
- Clinical Significance of a Pain Scoring System for Deep Endometriosis by Pelvic Examination: Pain Score.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Masturbation Prevalence, Frequency, Reasons, and Associations with Partnered Sex in the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from a U.S. Nationally Representative Survey.Archives of sexual behavior · 2023Article
- Factors influencing intercourse frequency among the young and middle-aged men.Zhong nan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Central South University. Medical sciences · 2022Article
- Achieving proportional representation in a reproductive health survey through social media: process and recommendations.BMC public health · 2022Article
- The association between work hours, shift work, and job latitude with fecundability: A preconception cohort study.Journal of occupational health psychology · 2022Article
- Changes in Penile-Vaginal Intercourse Frequency and Sexual Repertoire from 2009 to 2018: Findings from the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior.Archives of sexual behavior · 2022Article
- Changes in sexual behaviour, anxiety symptoms, and quality of couple relationship of patients with infertility during the COVID-19 lockdown.Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics · 2022Observational
- Was it Good for You? Gender Differences in Motives and Emotional Outcomes Following Casual Sex.Sexuality & culture · 2022Article
- Relationships between Penile-Vaginal Intercourse Frequency and Condom/Contraceptive Use from 2009 to 2018: Findings from the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior.International journal of sexual health : official journal of the World Association for Sexual Health · 2022Article
- Italians Do It … Less. COVID-19 Lockdown Impact on Sexual Activity: Evidence From a Large Representative Sample of Italian Adults.Journal of epidemiology · 2021Article
- [Sexual behavior and prevention of sexually transmitted infections taking the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic into account. Data from a sexual healthcare and medicine center-WIR].Bundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz · 2021Article
- Understanding the Associations of Prenatal Androgen Exposure on Sleep Physiology, Circadian Proteins, Anthropometric Parameters, Hormonal Factors, Quality of Life, and Sex Among Healthy Young Adults: Protocol for an International, Multicenter Study.JMIR research protocols · 2021Article
- Comparing the Self-Reported Health, Happiness, and Marital Happiness of a Multinational Sample of Consensually Non-Monogamous Adults with Those of the U.S. General Population: Additional Comparisons by Gender, Number of Sexual Partners, Frequency of Sex, and Marital Status.Archives of sexual behavior · 2021Article
- COVID-19 Confinement and Sexual Activity in Spain: A Cross-Sectional Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Comparison of Self-Reported Sexual Activity Among Heterosexuals with Sexual Spread of Poorly Transmittable Agents: A Minimalistic Approach to Estimating Sexual Activity Based on HIV Incidence.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Article
- Trends in Frequency of Sexual Activity and Number of Sexual Partners Among Adults Aged 18 to 44 Years in the US, 2000-2018.JAMA network open · 2020Article
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4 authors.
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Abstract
objectivesTo examine changes over time in the reported frequency of occurrence of sex and associations between sexual frequency and selected variables.
designRepeat, cross sectional, population based National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-1, Natsal-2, and Natsal-3).
settingBritish general population.
participants18 876 men and women aged 16-59 and resident in Britain were interviewed in Natsal-1, completed in 1991; 11 161 aged 16-44 years in Natsal-2, completed in 2001, and 15 162 aged 16-74 years in Natsal-3, completed in 2012. Comparisons of actual and preferred sexual frequency in men and women aged 16-44 (the age range common to all surveys) between the three surveys. Factors associated with sexual frequency of at least once a week were examined using Natsal-3 data.
main outcome measuresSexual activity in the past month; frequency of sex in the past month; preferred frequency of sex.
resultsMedian number of occasions of sex in the past month was four in Natsal-1 and Natsal-2 and three in Natsal-3 among women; and three in Natsal-1, Natsal-2, and Natsal-3 among men. The proportion reporting no sex in the past month fell between Natsal-1 and Natsal-2 (from 28.5% to 23.0% in women and from 30.9% to 26.0% in men) but increased significantly in Natsal-3 (to 29.3% in women and 29.2% in men). The proportion reporting sex 10 times or more in the past month increased between Natsal-1 and Natsal-2, from 18.4% to 20.6% in women and from 19.9% to 20.2% in men, but fell in Natsal-3, to 13.2% in woman and 14.4% in men. Participants aged 25 and over, and those married or cohabiting, experienced the steepest declines in sexual frequency (P values for interaction <0.05). Alongside the declines in sexual frequency, there was an increase in the proportion reporting that they would prefer sex more often. Age adjusted odds ratios showed that men and women in better physical and mental health had sex more frequently, as did those who were fully employed and those with higher earnings.
conclusionsFrequency of sex has declined recently in Britain, more markedly among those in early middle age and those who are married or cohabiting. The findings and their implications need to be explained in the context of technological, demographic, and social change in Britain and warrant further investigation.
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