Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Frailty and Sexual Health in Older European Men

Lee, David M. ; Tajar, Abdelouahid ; Ravindrarajah, Rathi ; Pye, Stephen R. ; O'Connor, Daryl B. ; Corona, Giovanni ; O'Connell, Matthew ; Gielen, Evelien ; Boonen, Steven and Vanderschueren, Dirk , et al. (2013) In Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 68(7). p.837-844
Abstract
Background. There has been little research on how late-life frailty interrelates with sexual health. Our objective was to examine the association of frailty with sexual functioning and satisfaction among older men. Methods. The study population consisted of 1,504 men aged 60 to 79 years, participating in the European Male Aging Study. Self-report questionnaires measured overall sexual functioning, sexual function related distress, and erectile dysfunction. Frailty status was defined using a phenotype (FP) or index (FI). Associations between frailty and sexual function were explored using regression models. Results. Based on the frailty phenotype, 5% of men were classified as frail, and the mean frailty index was 0.18 (SD = 0.12). Frailty... (More)
Background. There has been little research on how late-life frailty interrelates with sexual health. Our objective was to examine the association of frailty with sexual functioning and satisfaction among older men. Methods. The study population consisted of 1,504 men aged 60 to 79 years, participating in the European Male Aging Study. Self-report questionnaires measured overall sexual functioning, sexual function related distress, and erectile dysfunction. Frailty status was defined using a phenotype (FP) or index (FI). Associations between frailty and sexual function were explored using regression models. Results. Based on the frailty phenotype, 5% of men were classified as frail, and the mean frailty index was 0.18 (SD = 0.12). Frailty was associated with decreasing overall sexual functioning and increasing sexual function related distress in multiple linear regressions adjusted for age, smoking, alcohol consumption, living arrangements, comorbidities, and depression. Frailty was also associated with an increased odds of erectile dysfunction after adjustment for the same confounders: odds ratio = 1.99 (95% confidence interval = 1.14, 3.48) and 4.08 (95% confidence interval = 2.63, 6.36) for frailty phenotype and frailty index, respectively. Conclusions. Frailty was associated with impaired overall sexual functioning, sexual function related distress, and erectile dysfunction. Individuals assessed for frailty-related deficits may also benefit from an appraisal of sexual health as an important aspect of well-being and quality of life. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and , et al. (More)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and (Less)
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Frailty, Sexual function, Male health, EMAS
in
Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
volume
68
issue
7
pages
837 - 844
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • wos:000322446000010
  • scopus:84881667869
  • pmid:23105045
ISSN
1079-5014
DOI
10.1093/gerona/gls217
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
1562f8c5-3a26-453c-ae07-6dc5d9b80b8c (old id 3975964)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:17:54
date last changed
2022-03-29 20:13:10
@article{1562f8c5-3a26-453c-ae07-6dc5d9b80b8c,
  abstract     = {{Background. There has been little research on how late-life frailty interrelates with sexual health. Our objective was to examine the association of frailty with sexual functioning and satisfaction among older men. Methods. The study population consisted of 1,504 men aged 60 to 79 years, participating in the European Male Aging Study. Self-report questionnaires measured overall sexual functioning, sexual function related distress, and erectile dysfunction. Frailty status was defined using a phenotype (FP) or index (FI). Associations between frailty and sexual function were explored using regression models. Results. Based on the frailty phenotype, 5% of men were classified as frail, and the mean frailty index was 0.18 (SD = 0.12). Frailty was associated with decreasing overall sexual functioning and increasing sexual function related distress in multiple linear regressions adjusted for age, smoking, alcohol consumption, living arrangements, comorbidities, and depression. Frailty was also associated with an increased odds of erectile dysfunction after adjustment for the same confounders: odds ratio = 1.99 (95% confidence interval = 1.14, 3.48) and 4.08 (95% confidence interval = 2.63, 6.36) for frailty phenotype and frailty index, respectively. Conclusions. Frailty was associated with impaired overall sexual functioning, sexual function related distress, and erectile dysfunction. Individuals assessed for frailty-related deficits may also benefit from an appraisal of sexual health as an important aspect of well-being and quality of life.}},
  author       = {{Lee, David M. and Tajar, Abdelouahid and Ravindrarajah, Rathi and Pye, Stephen R. and O'Connor, Daryl B. and Corona, Giovanni and O'Connell, Matthew and Gielen, Evelien and Boonen, Steven and Vanderschueren, Dirk and Pendleton, Neil and Finn, Joseph D. and Bartfai, Gyoergy and Casanueva, Felipe F. and Forti, Gianni and Giwercman, Aleksander and Han, Thang S. and Huhtaniemi, Ilpo T. and Kula, Krzysztof and Lean, Michael E. J. and Punab, Margus and Wu, Frederick C. W. and O'Neill, Terence W.}},
  issn         = {{1079-5014}},
  keywords     = {{Frailty; Sexual function; Male health; EMAS}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{7}},
  pages        = {{837--844}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences}},
  title        = {{Frailty and Sexual Health in Older European Men}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/gerona/gls217}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/gerona/gls217}},
  volume       = {{68}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}