Abstract
The present study examined how older adults communicate about sexual issues in light of the tremendous societal changes that have taken place with regard to sexuality in the past few decades. We relied on interviews with 47 Israelis 60 years of age and older who were instructed to discuss sexuality in old age and its unique characteristics, using semi-structured interviews. Analysis consisted of repeated comparisons and contrasts to identify common themes. A common thread of “secrets and lies” characterized the discussion of sexual issues throughout the life course of respondents. The findings showed that although older adults have been aware of the limited information provided to them during their upbringing and of the limited room allowed to sexuality in their emerging adulthood years, many have continued to find it difficult to address sexual issues, even in later life. Moreover, many perceived the information currently available about sexuality and the contemporary approach to sexuality brought by the media or their children and grandchildren as being somewhat inadequate. Implications for practice are discussed.
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30 October 2018
The surname of co-author Inbar Levkovich was misspelled (as “Levkovitz”) in this originally published article. The original article has been corrected. The corresponding author apologizes for not detecting this error during the proof correction phase.
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The study was supported by a grant from the Israel National Institute for Health Policy Research.
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The original article has been corrected: The surname of coauthor Inbar Levkovich was misspelled (as “Levkovitz”) in this article as originally published.
Appendix 1: Selected questions for the interview guide
Appendix 1: Selected questions for the interview guide
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How do you define sexuality?
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How important is sexuality in your life?
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Tell me about sexuality in old age.
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How is sexuality in old age different from sexuality among younger people?
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What are the motivations for having sexual relationships in old age?
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What affects people’s sexuality in your opinion?
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Tell me about your sexual upbringing/education. How has it shaped your sexual life?
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What have you considered to do/use in the case of sexual dysfunction?
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Ayalon, L., Levkovich, I., Gewirtz-Meydan, A. et al. A Life Course Perspective on the Ways Older Men and Women Discuss Sexual Issues. Arch Sex Behav 48, 911–919 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-018-1255-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-018-1255-y