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By Meghan Yost, Ivanhoe Health Correspondent
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new study links life experiences to sexual dysfunction.
The research, funded by the National Institutes of Health, found a number of factors such as mental and physical health and demographics have an impact on sexual health later in life.
The study looked at a nationwide sample of 1,455 men and 1,550 women ages 57 to 85 and found those with a history of STDs also had problems with sexual health later in life. Research revealed women who previously had an STD were four times more likely to experience sexual pain and three times more likely to have lubrication problems. Men who had a previous STD were more than five times as likely to report sex as non-pleasurable.
Researchers say both mental and physical health play a role in sexual dysfunction. For men, the most common sexual problem was erectile dysfunction, which occurs more often with age and is attributed to physical health problems. Problems with relationships and other mental health issues often lead to men having a decreased interest in sex as well as difficulty achieving orgasm. Older women who experienced sexual dysfunction often had urinary tract syndrome, which, along with anxiety, was linked to a lower interest in sex.
Linda Waite, Ph.D., study author and the Lucy Flower Professor in Sociology at the University of Chicago, says the mental health connection with sexual dysfunction is often overlooked. One of the biggest predictors of reporting sexual problems is having anxiety, depression, stress, or saying your mental health is poor, Dr. Waite told Ivanhoe. If someone is having trouble in the bedroom, treating those issues can very well improve the situation.
The study also found consuming alcohol regularly appears to improve sexual functioning of women. We know that alcohol at a moderate level improves health, Dr. Waite explained. It seems to improve cardiovascular functioning. Sex is exercise and it may be that its improving all over functionality, which makes women more likely to be sexually active. She says alcohol may also reduce inhibitions and ease tensions in relationships. People are more likely to forget about those things that made them angry that are getting in the way of their sex life.
SOURCE: Ivanhoe interview with Linda Waite, Ph.D.; Journal of Sexual Medicine, published online August 13, 2008
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