Let's talk about sex – what do older men and women say about their sexual relations and sexual activities? A qualitative analysis of ELSA Wave 6 data

In 2012/2013 the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) included a comprehensive Sexual Relationships and Activities Questionnaire (SRA-Q). A total of 7,079 men and women mainly aged 50 to >90, primarily heterosexual and in a coupled relationship, completed the SRA-Q, answering a series of q...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAgeing and society Vol. 38; no. 3; pp. 497 - 521
Main Authors TETLEY, JOSIE, LEE, DAVID M., NAZROO, JAMES, HINCHLIFF, SHARRON
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.03.2018
Subjects
Age
Aging
Cardiovascular disease
Couples
Data collection
Gerontology
Health problems
Heterosexuality
Intimacy
Lifestyles
Mens health
Older men
Older people
Older women
Qualitative research
Questionnaires
Sexual behavior
Sexual functioning
Sexual satisfaction
Sexuality
Social sciences
Well being
Womens health
United Kingdom > UK
well-being
ageing
sexual relations
ELSA
sexual activities
health
population-based
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Summary:In 2012/2013 the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) included a comprehensive Sexual Relationships and Activities Questionnaire (SRA-Q). A total of 7,079 men and women mainly aged 50 to >90, primarily heterosexual and in a coupled relationship, completed the SRA-Q, answering a series of questions about their attitudes to sexual relationships, their own sexual activities, problems and concerns with sexual functioning, and quality of intimate relationships. The questions aimed to gain insights into the ways in which sexual relations and activities related to health, wellbeing and other lifestyle factors change as people grow older. The primary mode of data collection was a tick box response to a series of questions. However, at the end of the questionnaire an open comment box was provided, which asked respondents whether there was anything else that they would like to say; 1,084 respondents provided additional information and these comments created a unique qualitative data-set. The analysis of the data then illustrated how people's health, relationships, experiences and perceptions of ageing, along with sexual satisfaction, impact on sexual relationships and activities.
ISSN:0144-686X
1469-1779
DOI:10.1017/S0144686X16001203