ArticleThe Lancet regional health. Western Pacific2023
Sexual activity, sexual satisfaction and their correlates among older adults in China: findings from the sexual well-being (SWELL) study.
Article in The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.
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12 citing papers in PubMed, 23 citations in OpenAlex.
- Sexual desire and associated factors among older adults living with HIV: a cross-sectional study.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Modelling the epidemic dynamics of HPV among women in China and optimization of ongoing cervical cancer elimination strategies.BMC medicine · 2026Article
- Article
- Molecular transmission network reveals CRF08_BC-driven clusters of HIV-1 among low-education older adults linked to female sex workers in Taizhou, China.Frontiers in microbiology · 2026Article
- Epidemiological trends of reported syphilis incidence in Xihu district, Hangzhou, China, 2005-2025.Frontiers in epidemiology · 2026Article
- Perceptions, Barriers, and Facilitators of Provider-Initiated and Voluntary HIV Testing and Counseling Among Health Care Workers: Protocol for a Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study.JMIR research protocols · 2025Observational
- Phylogenetic analysis and transmission networks highlight the role of older adults in the transmission of HIV-1 in northern Zhejiang, China.Virology journal · 2025Article
- Predictors of sexual satisfaction among Social Security and National Insurance Trust pensioners in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.PloS one · 2025Article
- Positive sexuality, relationship satisfaction, and health: a network analysis.Frontiers in psychology · 2024Article
- Review
- Knowledge and willingness toward SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen testing among older adults in China: a nationwide cross-sectional study.Aging clinical and experimental research · 2023Article
- Sexuality and sexual activity in older age: an age old issue?The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific · 2023Article
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Authors and funding
19 authors at 7 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
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Abstract
Background: Sexual activity is important to the holistic health of older adults. However, the sexual lives of older adults are understudied. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and correlates of sexual activity and sexual satisfaction among older adults in China. Methods: In this multi-centre cross-sectional study, individuals aged 50 years and older were recruited from four regions in China between June 2020 and December 2022. An investigator-administered questionnaire was completed to collect information on socio-demographics, health status (general health and specific health), and sexual health characteristics. Sexual activity (including vaginal, oral, or anal sex) in the past year was treated as sexually active. Sexual satisfaction was measured using a validated five-point Likert scale. Logistic regression was used to assess correlates of sexual activity and sexual satisfaction. Findings: 3001 older adults (1182 women and 1819 men, mean age 60.3 ± 7.8 years) were recruited. Most participants were living in urban areas (1688, 56.2%), in a stable relationship (2531, 84.3%), and satisfied with life (2141, 71.3%). 46.8% of men and 40.7% of women were sexually active. Better self-reported general health status (good: aOR 0.53, 95% CI 0.34-0.82; fair: 0.47, 0.29-0.76; bad or very bad: 0.58, 0.35-0.96; versus very good), no difficulty walking upstairs (0.63, 0.41-0.97), diabetes (0.64, 0.42-0.98), and menopause (0.57, 0.36-0.92), were associated with sexual activity among women. Such an association was not found among men. Among sexually active participants, about three-quarters (men: 73.6%, women: 73.4%) were sexually satisfied. Self-reported general health status (men [good: 0.25, 0.12-0.53; fair: 0.17, 0.08-0.37; bad or very bad: 0.15, 0.06-0.34]; women [good: 0.27, 0.10-0.70; fair: 0.11, 0.04-0.30; bad or very bad: 0.11, 0.04-0.32]), life satisfaction (men: 1.73, 1.22-2.46; women: 2.23, 1.34-3.71) and talking about sexual preferences with a partner (men: 1.77, 1.23-2.56; women: 2.93, 1.69-5.09) were associated with sexual satisfaction. Interpretation: Older adults who had better health status and talked easily with their partners about their sex life were more likely to report sexual satisfaction. For women, better self-reported general health status and lack of disability were associated with sexual activity. Further research should address measures that improve sexual satisfaction, especially among sexually active older adults. Funding: This study was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China International/Regional Research Collaboration Project [72061137001] and the Economic and Social Research Council [ES/T014547/1].
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