Psychobiological Factors of Sexual Functioning in Aging Women – Findings From the Women 40+ Healthy Aging Study

Abstract

Background: A variety of biological and psychosocial factors are associated with women’s sexual health in midlife and older age. Evidence suggests a decline in sexual functioning in the context of aging and the menopausal transition, including changes in sexual desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, pain, and/or contentment. However, not all women in midlife and older age experience such a decline, and it remains unclear how the endocrine environment and psychosocial aspects contribute to the maintenance of healthy sexual functioning. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine psychobiological predictors of sexual functioning in healthy middle-aged and elderly females.Methods: A total of 93 healthy, sexually active women aged 40–73 years completed a battery of validated psychosocial questionnaires, including measures of sexual functioning (Female Sexual Function Index) and of protective psychological traits and interpersonal variables. The steroid hormones estrogen, testosterone, progesterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate were determined in saliva samples, while follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone and sex hormone-binding globulin were determined in dried blood spots. The findings were statistically adjusted for multiple testing.Results: Age and postmenopausal status were negatively associated with overall sexual functioning, arousal, and lubrication. Regression analyses revealed that relationship satisfaction, emotional support, self-esteem, optimism, and life satisfaction each significantly predicted overall sexual functioning or specific aspects of sexual functioning, including arousal, contentment, orgasm, and pain (all p < 0.029). For desire and lubrication, no associations were found with the tested psychosocial factors. In terms of steroid hormones, testosterone was positively linked to orgasm (p = 0.012). In this sample, 79.6% reported to have healthy sexual functioning according to the questionnaires’ cutoff. Younger age (OR = 0.911, 95% CI 0.854–0.970, p = 0.004) and a higher level of emotional support (OR = 1.376, 95% CI 1.033–1.833, p = 0.029) were associated with the presence of healthy sexual functioning.Discussion: Although aging and menopause negatively affected aspects of sexual functioning, the accompanying endocrine correlates were not predictive for sexual functioning in this healthy sample of middle-aged and older females. Instead, our findings suggest that sexual functioning is highly dependent on psychosocial aspects related to well-being. Accordingly, personality traits such as optimism, and interpersonal aspects such as emotional support and relationship satisfaction were identified as important predictors of sexual functioning.

The Swiss Perimenopause Study – study protocol of a longitudinal prospective study in perimenopausal women

“…Sensitivity is 6.40 pg/mL for FSH and 1.34 pg/mL for LH. Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) can be measured in DBS using Human SHBG ELISA Kit (DRG International, Marburg Germany) with intra-and inter-assay coefficients of variability of less than 10% [78]. In terms of immune markers, the Quantikine HS ELISA Human IL-6 (HS600B, R&D Systems, Minneapolis, MN) is recommended for analyzing interleukin 6 (IL-6; 37) and the sandwich ELISA (BioCheck, Inc., Foster City, CA) for investigating C-reactive protein [79].…”

Sexual satisfaction and associated individual factors among midlife and older people in Ile-Ife, Southwest Nigeria: implications for sexual and reproductive health

“…3,[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] However, unlike few existing studies that compared the prevalence and correlates of sexual satisfaction among the midlife and older persons. [26][27][28] This study investigated the prevalence and individual associated factors of sexual satisfaction among the midlife and older people as a distinct underserved segment of the Nigerian population.…”

“…[23][24][25] Fewer studies in other countries have also compared the prevalence and correlates of sexual satisfaction among the midlife and older persons. [26][27][28] However, studies in Nigeria have rarely documented the prevalence and associated individual factors of sexual satisfaction among the midlife and older persons as a special group of underserved population in the country. This study intends to fill the knowledge gap by investigating the prevalence and individual associated factors of sexual satisfaction among the midlife and older people in Ile-Ife, Southwest Nigeria with the view to providing additional information about the sexual and reproductive health concerns of special segments of the Nigerian population.…”

<p>Sleep and Methylation of Estrogen Receptor Genes, <em>ESR1</em> and <em>GPER</em>, in Healthy Middle-Aged and Older Women: Findings from the Women 40+ Healthy Aging Study</p>

“…Women who took part in this study were recruited in the context of a larger investigation, the "Women 40+ Healthy Aging Study". [33][34][35][36] Women were recruited using flyers, social media (eg: Facebook), and journal articles. The prospective participants completed an online selfscreening to verify their eligibility for the study.…”