|
|
Article: Sexual desire in later life.
- Article from:
- The Journal of Sex Research
- Article date:
- May 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Human sexuality is generally an understudied area of scientific investigation, and researchers have been particularly neglectful of the study of sexuality in the aging population. Since the number of elderly persons in the U.S. doubled from nearly 17 million in 1960 to 35 million in 2000, and is projected to reach 53.7 million by 2020 (United States Bureau of the Census, 2002), this topic takes on particular importance.
Much of the prior research reflects a biological or medical perspective on human sexuality. It assumes that as people age, physical changes, hormonal changes, or chronic illnesses reduce or eliminate sexual desire and sexual behavior. This ...