Key Takeaways
- In the United States, 17% of men aged 80+ reported being sexually active in the past 12 months
- In the United States, 13% of women aged 80+ reported being sexually active in the past 12 months
- In the United States, 53% of adults aged 65–74 reported having sex in the past 12 months
- Among men aged 80+, 40% reported difficulty with sexual activity
- Among women aged 80+, 35% reported difficulty with sexual activity
- In a US study of older adults (2005–2009), 41% of men aged 80+ had erectile difficulties
- In the US, 58% of men aged 80+ had cardiovascular disease
- In the US, 46% of women aged 80+ had cardiovascular disease
- In the US, 55% of men aged 80+ had hypertension
- Among older men, testosterone declines with age; a common threshold for hypogonadism is total testosterone <300 ng/dL
- In the Massachusetts Male Aging Study, mean total testosterone declines with age from about 510 ng/dL in early adulthood to about 350 ng/dL in men 70–79
- In the MMAS, mean total testosterone was about 300 ng/dL in men 80+
- In the US, 46% of older adults (65+) report being married or in a partnership
- In the US, 18% of people aged 80+ are widowed
- In the US, 30% of adults 80+ are not married
Most adults 80+ still value intimacy, yet sexual activity declines.
Prevalence & Frequency of Sex After 80
Prevalence & Frequency of Sex After 80 Interpretation
Sexual Function & Health Constraints
Sexual Function & Health Constraints Interpretation
Health Conditions & Barriers
Health Conditions & Barriers Interpretation
Hormones & Biological Changes
Hormones & Biological Changes Interpretation
Relationship Dynamics & Motivations
Relationship Dynamics & Motivations Interpretation
Communication & Attitudes
Communication & Attitudes Interpretation
STI & Safety Practices
STI & Safety Practices Interpretation
References
- 1jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2771764
- 2pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3105947/
- 4pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6793909/
- 3ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3002218/
- 6ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2751512/
- 7ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2626061/
- 8ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3743000/
- 10ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3697864/
- 18ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3050228/
- 23ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5690215/
- 27ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4066633/
- 28ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2708144/
- 29ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2907831/
- 32ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK221277/
- 33ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2526011/
- 35ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279204/
- 38ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279011/
- 39ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459069/
- 42ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2908616/
- 43ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3767185/
- 48ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4257651/
- 53ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3105947/
- 58ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4834305/
- 66ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4532209/
- 67ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6793909/
- 5academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/21/3/351/439586
- 36academic.oup.com/jcem/article/88/3/1129/2846850
- 37academic.oup.com/jcem/article/93/2/475/2847059
- 9nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa022298
- 11pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23901275/
- 12pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19426233/
- 13pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9483367/
- 14pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10449910/
- 15pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12377600/
- 16pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22654123/
- 17pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25774638/
- 19pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23313376/
- 25pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23651102/
- 26pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25846235/
- 34pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20472610/
- 40pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10631103/
- 41pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12008468/
- 44pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25972634/
- 45pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11829713/
- 46pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11036888/
- 47pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23013038/
- 59pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23915660/
- 60pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20499438/
- 20urologyhealth.org/urologic-conditions/erectile-dysfunction/erectile-dysfunction-treatment
- 21auanet.org/guidelines-and-quality/guidelines/erectile-dysfunction-(ed)-guideline
- 22isswsh.org/pdfs/ISSM-GSM-guideline.pdf
- 24cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db507.pdf
- 56cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/births.htm
- 57cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/fertility.htm
- 61cdc.gov/std/statistics/2019-at-a-glance.htm
- 62cdc.gov/std/statistics/2018-STD-Update.htm
- 63cdc.gov/std/statistics/2019-STD-Update.htm
- 64cdc.gov/std/statistics/2022-STD-Update.htm
- 65cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/library/reports/surveillance/cdc-hiv-surveillance-report-2022.pdf
- 68cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/screening.htm
- 69cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/hepb/hcp/recommendations.html
- 70cdc.gov/hpv/hcp/schedules-recommendations.html
- 71cdc.gov/std/statistics/2021-at-a-glance.htm
- 30link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11136-012-0233-9
- 31link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11136-015-0921-0
- 49census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2021/demo/p20-577.pdf
- 50census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/visualizations/time-series/demo/aging-of-the-u-s-population/widowhood.html
- 51census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/visualizations/time-series/demo/aging-of-the-u-s-population/marital-status.html
- 54census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2023/demo/p23-116.pdf
- 55census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/families/relationship.html
- 52scp.nl/binaries/scp/documenten/rapporten/2014/04/15/ouderen-in-nederland/oud-in-ned-2014.pdf






