No abstract

Background whilst previous studies have investigated the determinants of sexual satisfaction (i) using longitudinal data or (ii) among older adults, only a few studies have done both at the sametime. Objective the purpose of this study was to investigate the determinants of sexual satisfaction longitudinally among middle-aged and older adults. Design nationally representative longitudinal study (German Ageing Survey—DEAS). Setting community-dwelling individuals in Germany. Data drawn from three waves (2002, 2008, 2011). Subjects individuals aged 40–95 (36.9% age group 65+). At wave 2 in the year 2002, n = 3,843 individuals took part. Methods well-established and widely used scales were used to quantify the independent variables. We included variables such as sociodemographic factors, self-rated health, physical functioning, depression and loneliness in our analysis. Sexual satisfaction was our outcome measure. Results were stratified by age (40–64, 65+). To take into account the multilevel data structure, we used random coefficient models. Results random-effects regressions showed that increased sexual satisfaction was consistently associated with the following variables in both age groups: lower number of physical illnesses, β = −0.03, P < 0.001 (betas coefficients given for individuals 65 years and over); better self-rated health, β = −0.06, P < 0.001; absence of depression, β = −0.16, P < 0.01; and higher importance of sexuality and intimacy, β = 0.08, P < 0.001. Moreover, sexual satisfaction was associated with having a partner: β = 0.16, P < 0.001; living with a partner in the same household, β = 0.26, P < 0.001; and a lower score of loneliness, β = −.28, P < 0.001. In contrast, sexual satisfaction was, for example, not associated with cognitive functioning. Conclusions the most surprising findings were that among both middle-aged and older adults, almost the same determinants (with exception of sociodemographic factors) were associated with satisfaction with sexlife.

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of the onset of Parkinson's disease (PD) on life satisfaction.Method: Data from 2008, 2011, and 2014 were used from a population-based prospective cohort (German Ageing Survey; 8,982 observations in FE regression analysis) of community-residing individuals in the second half of life (≥40 years) in Germany. Satisfaction with life was quantified using the established Satisfaction with Life Scale. Physician-diagnosed PD was reported.Results: In total, 48.9% were female. The mean age was 63.8 years (±11.3 years). Average life satisfaction equaled 3.8 (±0.7). Linear fixed effects regressions revealed that the onset of PD was associated with a considerable decline in life satisfaction (β = −0.37, 95% CI −0.69 to −0.05, p < 0.05). This effect was significantly more pronounced in men. Moreover, a decrease in life satisfaction was associated with younger age, changes from “employed” to “not employed,” worsening self-rated health, the onset of depression, and an increase in the number of physical illnesses.Conclusions: The onset of PD is associated with a marked reduction of life satisfaction among individuals in the second half of life in the total sample and in men, but not in women. For example, this effect was about twice as large as the effect of depression on life satisfaction. Moreover, the effect of PD on life satisfaction was more pronounced than the effect of a strong decrease in self-rated health (from “very good” to “very bad”) on life satisfaction. Effective treatment of symptoms might contribute to maintaining life satisfaction.