Page 41 - Petelin, Ana, Nejc Šarabon, eds. 2018. Zdravje starostnikov ▪︎ Health of the Elderly. Zbornik povzetkov z recenzijo ▪︎ Book of Abstracts. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press
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Older Adults Well Sexually? plenarna predavanja | plenary lectures
Sexual Well-Being in Old Age
Sofia von Humboldt
William James Center for Research, ISPA – Instituto Universitário,
Rua Jardim do Tabaco, 34, 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal
Introduction: Older adults who engage in sexual activities may benefit from in-
creasing psychological and physical well-being, which may contribute to reduce
a number of physical and mental health problems. Objectives: To analyze sex-
ual well-being (SWB) in older adults’ perspective and to examine the poten-
tial explanatory mechanisms of a SWB overall model, in an older cross-nation-
al sample.
Methods: Measures were completed, using a variety of appropriate methods,
including demographics and interviews. Complete data were available for 326
older adults aged between 65-102 years. Data were subjected to content anal-
ysis. Representation of the associations and latent constructs were analyzed by
a Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA).
Results: The most prevalent response of the interviewed participants for
SWB was “touching and caring” (18.0%). A three-dimension model formed by
“care and well-being”, “attractiveness, intimacy and touching”, and “sexual in-
tercourse and pleasure” was presented as a best-fit solution for English old-
er adults. SWB for Portuguese older adults were explained by a three-factor
model: “health and desire”, “care, eroticism and affection” and “penetration
sex”.
Discussion and Conclusions: The outcomes presented in this paper empha-
sized the need to explore the diversity of indicators of SWB among older
adults and the cultural differences of a SWB model for older adults.
Keywords: older adults, sexual well-being, multiple correspondance analysis,
English, Portuguese
39
Sexual Well-Being in Old Age
Sofia von Humboldt
William James Center for Research, ISPA – Instituto Universitário,
Rua Jardim do Tabaco, 34, 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal
Introduction: Older adults who engage in sexual activities may benefit from in-
creasing psychological and physical well-being, which may contribute to reduce
a number of physical and mental health problems. Objectives: To analyze sex-
ual well-being (SWB) in older adults’ perspective and to examine the poten-
tial explanatory mechanisms of a SWB overall model, in an older cross-nation-
al sample.
Methods: Measures were completed, using a variety of appropriate methods,
including demographics and interviews. Complete data were available for 326
older adults aged between 65-102 years. Data were subjected to content anal-
ysis. Representation of the associations and latent constructs were analyzed by
a Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA).
Results: The most prevalent response of the interviewed participants for
SWB was “touching and caring” (18.0%). A three-dimension model formed by
“care and well-being”, “attractiveness, intimacy and touching”, and “sexual in-
tercourse and pleasure” was presented as a best-fit solution for English old-
er adults. SWB for Portuguese older adults were explained by a three-factor
model: “health and desire”, “care, eroticism and affection” and “penetration
sex”.
Discussion and Conclusions: The outcomes presented in this paper empha-
sized the need to explore the diversity of indicators of SWB among older
adults and the cultural differences of a SWB model for older adults.
Keywords: older adults, sexual well-being, multiple correspondance analysis,
English, Portuguese
39
