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Example research essay topic: Aging Of Sexual Function - 1,998 words

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Aging of Sexual Function The majority of researches and practitioners allege that sexual behavior constitutes a complex interconnection of biochemical and cognitive processes. Age is considered to be one of the main contributors to human sexuality and sexual behavior (Segraves & Segraves, 1995). The influence of age on sexual function has received much attention in contemporary studies; moreover, the studies are consistent in their findings. McCoy in conducted research suggested that the age amplifies partners sexual interest as well as sexual function. While some studies have indicated physiological changes related to sexual arousal associated with age, only few report on desire and frequency of intercourse. From the critical point of view, contemporary psychological and physiological studies regarding aging of sexual function incorporate several important determinants, in particular physical health, psychological health, body dissatisfaction, loss of sexual desire, menopause, etc.

Having refuting tendency to assume that elderly people experience decline in sexuality, Bancroft introduced three factors the sexual decline depends on, namely level of sexual activity during an individuals lifetime, physical and psychological health (Bancroft, 18). Individuals who have been sexually active on a frequent basis throughout their life will show a lower rate of decrease in activity with advancing years than will those who have been less sexually active. According to Kaplan, elderly people who remain sexually active experience high enjoyment from sex, and, it is concluded that physically healthy individuals remain sexually active on a regular basis (Kaplan, 1993). Moreover, sexual activity of elderly people includes solo and mutual masturbation, oral sex, and penetrative intercourse. However, physical condition or illness can impact sexual function. For instance, an individual with severe arthritis may have difficulties with using hands to pleasure oneself and partner or finding a proper sexual position to minimize the pain.

Potential decline in sexual function is also related to psychological health of individuals. Thus, social beliefs and expectations regarding attractiveness usually contribute to low self-esteem and possible depression resulting in refusal from sexual behavior. Reads systematizes different factors of human behavior and health factors that inhibit sexual activity and sexual function in elderly people. Physical factors: Stress incontinence; Diminishing mobility; Decreasing muscle tone; Uterine prolapse; Skin tone and sensitivity; Diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular problems; Chronic conditions such as arthritis Psychological health: - Sense of unattractiveness; - Facing mortality; depression, bereavement and grief reactions; - Loss of partner or friends; Lack of contact with others and loneliness (Reads, 1995). Simultaneously, Brecher differentiates between problems experienced by elderly male and female, in particular: Male problems: Lack of desire, with a consequent decrease in sexual activity; Erectile problems; Premature ejaculation - little or no control over ejaculatory response, and ejaculation may occur before vaginal entry achieved; Retarded ejaculation- difficulty ejaculating intra vaginally, or at all. Female problems: Loss of desire; Anorgasmia; Tiredness; Backache; Urinary tract infections; Stress incontinence (Brecher, 1984).

In addition, to the aspects above impacting sexual activity and its subsequent change with years, psychologists and practitioners differentiate numerous external and internal determinants of sexual function of individuals. Feingold and Mazzella's analytic overview of 190 studies conducted over 50 -year period indicated that women consistently report greater body dissatisfaction and relate it to the loss of sexual interest to the partner (Feingold & Mazzella, 1998). Moreover, evaluating other aspects of body image, studies reveal that women are more psychologically inclined to be affected with the appearance than men (Jackson, 1992). Halliwell alleges that body dissatisfaction is the main determinant of decline in sexual activity of women over forty years old, and relates it the stronger emphasis society places on womens than on mens appearance (Halliwell, 2002). Franzoi correlated the decline of sexual interest in partners due to body awareness. According to research, there were no gender differences in levels of body awareness associated, however, when attentive to their bodies elderly participants experienced relatively more negative feelings and tension than did young men.

In addition, a concentration on specific body parts, as opposed to the body in general, was associated with greater negative affect specifically for women (Franzoi, 1989). The study conducted by Montepare (1996) concluded that levels of body dissatisfaction among people aged between 17 and 85 years were consistently high, and perceptions of sexual attractiveness and desire showed a direct relationship to age, in particular middle-aged people rated themselves as more sexually attractive than did both elderly participants (Montepare, 1996). The qualitative researches indicated that body image concerns do not diminish with age, but obtain complex character. Thus, in-depth interview conducted with 68 British men and women aged between 60 and 75 years disclosed the decrease in sexual activity and desire due to body image concerns (Tunaley, 1999).

According to study, women wanted to be slimmer for the sake of appearance, and not in order to look sexual. Men were resistant to sociocultural prescriptions of sexuality and were confident that by the age they should be permitted to stop worrying about sex. Moreover, married women reported less concerns regarding whether the husbands found them physically attractive. The achieved result contrasts with the earlier research, which affirmed the young peoples motivation to obtain attractive body to attract and please the partner. From the critical point of few, the majority of psychologists refer to the issue of aging of sexual function and sexuality in terms of socially amplified body concerns. However, simultaneously scientists indicate other determinants of sexual function decline due to age.

From physiological point of view, various sexual dysfunctions are considered to be essential contributors of decline in sexual function and activity. The Massachusetts Male Aging Study (MMAS) reported erectile dysfunction in 34. 8 % of men aged 40 to 70 years old with age, health status (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, disease-related medications, cigarette smoking), and emotional factors (depression, anger) being highly related to the erectile disorder (Feldman, 1994). In addition, the study emphasized the age of participants to be the most important contributing factor among demographic criteria. According to human physiology, women sexual problems associated with age tend to decrease with age, except trouble lubricating, however, mens erection problems increase with age. Laumann alleges that in the NHSLS health problems were characterized as more significant for mens dysfunction and womens sexual pain simultaneously correlated with decline in sexual activity and interest than for womens sexual desire and arousal problems. The study revealed additional important sexual experience variables impacting sexual functions of elderly people.

Thus, men involved in same-sex sexual activity were more likely to experience premature ejaculation and depressed sexual desire, than men not involved in the same sex experience. Womens arousal disorder was highly correlated to their experience of adult-child sexual contact. For men, early sexual experience, in particular one before puberty, was reported to result in subsequent a three-fold increase in erectile dysfunction and a two-fold increase in premature ejaculation and low sexual desire in adulthood and old age. Although, the MMAS and the NHSL data considered only a small percentage of potential etiological and physiological factors, both studies relate sexual functionality of elderly men and women to physical and psychological dimensions of individuals life. Therefore, the optimal treatment involves careful histories and methods to impact psychological and physiological sexual response. It was mentioned above that sexual function is characterized with complex interplay of biochemical, physical and cognitive processes.

The influence of menopause on sexual function was a subject of many researches, however, the factors of age impact and the presence of the partner were not considered. The studies that considered the influence of such determinant of sexual function as age are inconsistent in their findings. During menopause a decrease of estrogen levels results in decline of vaginal blood flow and decrease in vaginal lubrication and vaginal elasticity. Many studies revealed the link between decreased levels of estrogen and an increase in pain with intercourse (Nachtigall, 1994; Riley, 1991), as well as increased urinary tract infections in menopausal women. Changes in sexual arousal have been connected to physiological consequences of menopause; however, the influence on sexual desire, and sexual function in the long run, is less clearly understood. While many researchers alleged that no clear demonstration of changes to sexual desire, both positive and negative could be linked to hormonal changes associated with menopause, in 1986 Channon and Ballinger found that 271 peri menopausal women who visited a menopause clinic had reduced desire, enjoyment, and frequency of orgasm.

These findings disclosed that vaginal symptoms such as dryness and soreness resulted in decreased desire along with major contributing factor such as age and partners age. Although studies findings regarding the influence of age on sexual behavior of individuals, in particular women are not consistent, older age has been found to significantly predict a decrease in the enjoyment of sexual behaviors in premenopausal and peri menopausal women (Mansfield, Voda, & Koch, 1995). Other studies have also indicated that age group influenced reports of sexual frequency. Thus, in a small group of menopausal women, Hawton, Gath, and Day (1994) discovered that women enjoyed their sexual relationships less as they got older, and would rather infrequent sexual activity. In a large community study, Hall strom and Samuels son (1990) affirmed that increasing age, along with reports of anxiety neurosis and use of psychotropic medication, decreased sexual desire. At the same time menopausal status was not reported, thus it remains unrevealed if menopausal status contributed to reports of decreased sexual desire.

Osborn, Hawton, and Gath (1988) also indicated that age was related to reports of sexual dysfunction significantly more than menopausal status. Osborn's studies disclosed that 49 % of women aged over 50 years had one or more sexual dysfunctions, while 21 % of women under 50 years had one or more sexual dysfunctions. Bibliography Segraves, R. T. , & Segraves, K. B. (1995). Human sexuality and aging.

Journal of Sex Education and Therapy, 88 - 102 McCoy, N. L. (1998). Methodological problems in the study of sexuality and the menopause. Maturitas, 51 - 60 Bancroft, J. (1988). Human sexuality and its problems. Edinburgh, Scotland: Churchill Livingstone.

Kaplan H. (1993). Injection treatment for older patients. In: Wagner G, Kaplan H, eds. The new injection treatment for impotence. New York: Brunner, 142.

Read J. (1995). Counselling for sexual problems. London: Sage Brecher E. (1984). Love, sex and ageing. Consumers Union report. Boston, MA: Little, Brown.

Feingold, A. , & Mazzella, R. (1998). Gender differences in body image are increasing. Psychological Science, 190 - 195 Jackson, L. A. (1992).

Physical appearance and gender: Sociobiological and sociocultural perspectives. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. Halliwell, E. (2002). Sociocultural influences on body image concerns throughout adulthood. Unpublished doctoral thesis, University of Sussex, England. Franzoi, S.

L. (1989). Gender differences in the experience of body awareness: An experiential sampling study. Sex Roles, 499 - 515. Montepare K. (1993).

Are there body image differences between older men and women? Western Journal of Nursing Research, 327 - 339 Tunaley G. (1993). The unobtrusive researcher. St. Leonards, UK: Allen and Unwin. Feldman K. (1994).

Sexuality in middle and late life. General Psychiatry, 919 - 923 Nachtigall, L. E. (1994). Sexual function in the menopause and post menopause. In R. A.

Lobo (Ed. ), Treatment of the postmenopausal woman: Basic and clinical aspects (pp. 301 - 306). New York: Raven Press Ltd. Riley, A. J. (1991).

Sexuality and the menopause. Sexual and Marital Therapy, 135 - 146. Channon, L. D. (1986). Some aspects of sexuality and vaginal symptoms during menopause and their relation to anxiety and depression. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 173 - 180.

Mansfield, P. K. , Voda, A. , & Koch, P. B. (1995). Predictors of sexual response changes in heterosexual midlife women. Health Values, 10 - 20. Hawton, K. , Gath, D. , & Day, A. (1994).

Sexual function in a community sample of middle-aged women with partners: Effects of age, marital, socioeconomic, psychiatric, gynaecological and menopausal factors. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 375 - 395 Osborn, M. , Hawton, K. , & Gath, D. (1988). Sexual dysfunction among middle aged women in the community. British Medical Journal, 959 - 962.


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