Sexual interest and behavior of 100 white men and 102 white women ranging in age from 80-102 were studied using an anonymous 117-item questionnaire. Subjects were healthy and upper middle-class, and living in residential retirement facilities; 14% of the women and 29% of the men were presently married. For both men and women, the most common activity was touching and caressing without sexual intercourse, followed by masturbation, followed by sexual intercourse. Of these activities, only touching and caressing showed a significant decline from the 80s to the 90s, with further analyses revealing a significant decline in this activity for men but not for women. Except for past enjoyment of sexual intercourse and of touching and caressing without sexual intercourse, all analyses revealed sex differences reflecting more activity and enjoyment by men. Current income and past guilt over sexual feelings showed very low but significant correlations with some frequency and enjoyment measures, and marital status, extramarital sex, and church attendance were significantly associated with continuing to perform and enjoy some sexual behaviors. Past importance of sex was significantly correlated with present frequency and enjoyment of both sexual intercourse and touching and caressing without sexual intercourse. Correlations between past and present frequency of sexual behaviors were substantial and significant for all but frequency of sexual intercourse, suggesting that current physical and social factors play an overriding role in this area.
The relationship between use of oral contraceptives and sexuality in university women who completed the McCoy Female Sexuality Questionnaire was examined. Pill users reported sexual intercourse earlier, were less likely to be virgins, more likely to have a sex partner, more apt to be engaging in petting and intercourse than nonusers, and reported more frequent intercourse than sexually active nonusers. Nonusers reported a greater frequency and enjoyment of anal intercourse than pill users. The prediction that pill users would have less vaginal lubrication than nonusers was supported. Contrary to prediction, pill users reported a higher frequency of sexual thoughts and fantasies, and level of sexual interest than active nonusers. Triphasic Orthonovum 7/7/7 (OR7/7/7) users reported more sexual thoughts and fantasies and had higher Sexual Interest (Factor 1) scores than monophasic Orthonovum 1/35 (OR1/35) users. Triphasic users as a group enjoyed sexual activity more, were more aroused during sexual activity, and had higher Sexual Interest factor scores than monophasic users. Triphasic users reported more sexual thoughts and fantasies, sexual interest and had higher Sexual Interest factor scores than nonusers, while monophasic users did not. Monophasic users reported less vaginal lubrication than nonusers, whereas triphasic users did not. Comparisons of OR7/7/7 and OR1/35 users with nonusers revealed the same findings. Results suggest that women using triphasic pills experience greater sexual interest and response than those using monophasics. Possible reasons for these differences are discussed.
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