LONDON, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- A new study published Tuesday reveals the sexual desires of older people in Britain are being dismissed by health practitioners due to their age.
Research by The University of Manchester's Institute for Collaborative Research on Ageing (MICRA) and Manchester Metropolitan University has highlighted obstacles some older couples face in maintaining fulfilling sexual lives, and how they adapt to the barriers.
The study has analyzed written comments from over 1,000 adults aged 50 to 90, with both men and women highlighting their anxiety at not being taken seriously by health practitioners as they sought to overcome issues affecting sexual activity, such as a drop in sexual desire or physical difficulties. One man in his eighties reported being refused Viagra for erectile dysfunction on the grounds of cost.
A spokesman at the University of Manchester said participants in the study, published in Ageing and Society, cited other elements influencing sexual activity, including health conditions and physical impairment, the evolving status of sex in relationships and mental wellbeing.
It was also found that men were more likely to talk about the impact of health conditions on sexual activities, but women were more likely to talk about health-related sexual difficulties in the context of a relationship.
The study has called on health care practices to positively engage with issues of sexual function and sexual activity to improve the health and wellbeing of older people, particularly in the context of long-term health problems.
