Sexual feelings and sexual life in an Italian sample of 335 elderly 65 to 106-year-olds

Summary tudy analyses various aspects of sexual interest and activity in a sample of 335 elderly people, recruited at the consulting rooms of 21 general practitioners in the town of Padua (Italy) among elderly subjects taking part in an international, multicentric study on the quality of life, conducted in cooperation with the World Health Organization (Quality of life assessment, instrument to measure self-perceived functioning and well-being in the elderly. LEIPAD Project) and considers a complete age range, including subjects of both sexes, aged between 65 and 106 years, with a view to providing a global, reliable image of sexuality up to a very advanced age. Roughly one-third of the subjects in the sample reported being still interested in sex. Results of logistic analysis demonstrate the most important variables in maintenance of sexual activity; they are listed as follows: being male, married, younger and cognitively unimpaired, in addition to having a higher educational level, being self-sufficient and satisfied with the present life. Educational level, age and social functioning, on the other hand, lose importance in the case of sexual interest, which remains more present than activity, even in very advanced age. Analyzing males and females separately, moreover, the absence of arthrosis, and maintenance of good social-relational functions gain predictive importance for men, and absence of depression and anxiety for women, in relation to both sexual interest and activity.