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Different cultures and sexual unwellness in older adults: A qualitative study with older populations from Slovenia and Portugal

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2022

S. Von Humboldt ,
J. Rolo ,
J.A. Ribeiro-Gonçalves ,
E. Benko ,
G. Low  and
I. Leal
S. Von Humboldt*
Affiliation:
ISPA – Instituto Universitário, Lisbon, Portugal, William James Research Center, Lisbon, Portugal
J. Rolo
Affiliation:
Instituto Universitário, Ispa, Lisbon, Portugal
J.A. Ribeiro-Gonçalves
Affiliation:
ISPA – Instituto Universitário, Lisbon, Portugal, William James Research Center, Lisbon, Portugal
E. Benko
Affiliation:
University of Primorska, Faculty Of Health Sciences, Izola, Slovenia
G. Low
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Faculty Of Nursing, Edmonton, Canada
I. Leal
Affiliation:
ISPA – Instituto Universitário, Lisbon, Portugal, William James Research Center, Lisbon, Portugal
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

Oder adults have been stereotyped (1), both explicitly and implicitly, as being asexual or naturally lacking sexual desires (2).

Objectives

The objective of this study is to analyse the perspectives of sexual unwellness (SU) of Portuguese and Slovenian older adults.

Methods

A qualitative research was carried out, in which these perceptions were analysed at a cultural level. Methods: The sample of this study consisted of 136 older participants, between 65 and 96 years of age. Participants were of two different nationalities and lived in the community. Participants were interviewed, and all interviews were carried out through the process of literal transcription and subsequent content analysis.

Results

Eight key mutually exclusive themes emerged from the interviews: unavailability of partner; traditional values; body restrictions; low self-esteem and well-being; poor social support; dissatisfaction with physical appearance; pain during sex; and difficulties meeting new people. Unavailability of partner was the most important theme (17.9%) for the studied sample and specifically among Portuguese participants. Conversely, difficulties meeting new people was the least reported theme (6.8%) for the entire sample. For Slovenians traditional values were most relevant with respect to feeling sexually unwell.

Conclusions

Older adults from two different countries reported diverse sexual experiences. Eight mutual-exclusive themes were extensively illustrated. 1.von Humboldt S et al. Sexual expression in old age: How older adults from different cultures express sexually? Sex Res Social Policy. 2020;1-15. 2.von Humboldt S et al. Are older adults satisfied with their sexuality? Outcomes from a cross-cultural study. Educ Gerontol. 2020;46:284-293.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Keywords

Qualitative studyCultural diversitysexual unwellnessOlder Adults
Type
Abstract
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 65 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 30th European Congress of Psychiatry , June 2022 , pp. S137
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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