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Challenges in Studying Seniors Sexuality
Introduction
Diverse and complex issues of seniors sexuality include homosexuality, the attitude of general practitioners and social service workers to the issue, peculiarities of sexuality issues in terms of gender and different countries. Seniors sexuality is a challenging and provoking subject to study and practice but crucial.
Personal Growth Reflection
Surprisingly for me, the situation in senior health and social service centers in respect to homosexuality differs significantly. According to Kanapaux (2003), social service agencies& are perhaps more advanced than the medical community (p. 1). Accordingly, senior health systems are described as more homophobic or hetero-centric (Kanapaux, 2003, p. 1). Witnessed times when homosexuality was considered sickness itself, the seniors are still struggling over prejudice from health care workers.
Besides, the attitude of general practitioners to talking about sexuality with senior patients lacks impartiality as well. Results of qualitative research carried out by Gott, Hinchliff, and Galena (2004) based on in-depth interviews with 22 GPs working in demographically diverse primary care practices in Sheffield, UK prove the fact that although having proactive or reactive styles of sexual health management , participants are not ready to discuss questions about sex with their senior patients as they feel a barrier (p. 2093). In the words of the practitioners they associate issues related to sexuality with younger people; therefore, when in need of discussing sexuality with seniors, the majority reported discomfort and the minority found it even revolting or disgusting (Gott et al., 2004, p. 2101). I felt uncomfortable when reading, Yes I hope that I dont display my repugnance [laughs] when the 85-year-old turns up for his ViagraTM (Gott et al., 2004, p. 2101). In my opinion, the existent bias about seniors sexuality issues leads to carelessness in dealing not only with sexual problems but medical care in general.
For example, workers of health care do not ask their senior patients whom to contact in case of emergency suggesting it should be a family. Hence, gay and lesbian seniors are rejected in their right to justify the best candidate to make vital decisions for on their behalf. On contrary, an unbiased approach should recognize the fictive kin and rights of same-sex partners in terms of visitations, decision-making or caregiving (Kanapaux, 2003, p. 2). I believe this approach can not only improve the quality of health care but also prevent certain problems, such as mistakes in medical history of homosexual patients due to ignorance of biological family members who are not closely communicating with a patient.
Sexuality and Diversity
New researches devoted to sexuality among seniors in different countries show a lot of similarities along with some peculiarities and differences in terms of aged sex issues.
Speaking of sexual activity, in China 57.3% of the fifty-somethings and 43.0% of the women in their sixties are sexually active (Shea, 2011, p. 370). In the United States, in comparison, about 62% of women aged between 57 and 64 and 40% of women aged between 64 and 75 are sexually active (Stacy et al., 2007, p. 26). Interestingly, the numbers in field research in China show that none of the women in the survey who were never married or currently widowed or divorced admitted to being sexually active ; the author, though, doubts these results because of her interviews with the women (Shea, 2011, p. 370). Stacy et al. (2007) state that in the group of single women 4% reported being sexually active (p. 28). Although lacking the exact numbers for China as to single women, both reports signify a very close relation in the figures for China and the United States.
On one hand, despite cultural, religious, and social differences the attitude of women towards aged sexual activity is not much different in China and the United States. Aged American women in a relationship named their health problems (about 16%) or their partners health problems (about 64%) as a reason for not being sexually active (Stacy et al., 2007). Accordingly, older Chinese women explain no sexual activity by the problems in the marital relationship in general and/or to health problems (Shea, 2011, p. 361). Marriage problems are not listed among the reasons for lack of sexual activity (Stacy et al., 2007, p.31). Data from Sheas research show that nine out of every ten women who felt very happy in their marriage, three out of four women being happy and only six out of ten unhappy in their marriage are sexually active (Shea, 2011, p. 373). Hence, marriage plays a more important role for Chinese women than for American ones.
Traditionally, in China sex was seen as a reproduction tool, so there is no point in having sex after ones reproductive ability is compromised or lost or after bearing children is socially inappropriate (Shea, 2011, p. 367). Similarly, general practitioners in the United Kingdom presume from a biological point of view that all women are in the menopause by the age of 45 & we dont approach it anymore and we dont ask them about their sexual health (Gott et al., 2004, p. 2098). Therefore, the issue of discomfort about aged sexuality is an issue not only for Chinese society.
Consequently, it is true not only for Chinese aged women that their attitude about seniors sexuality is more open than their actual sexual practice (Shea, 2011). Only a quarter of aged women in the United States named absence of interest in sex as a reason for not being sexually active (Stacy et al., 2007).In my opinion, to improve the life quality of seniors, international society together with health care and social workers should acknowledge actual facts about seniors sexuality, and this should be done unbiased and open-minded.
References
Gott, M., Hinchliff, Sh., Galena, E. (2004). General practitioner attitudes to discussing sexual health issues with older people. Social Science & Medicine, 58, 20932103.
Kanapaux, W. (2003). Homosexual seniors face stigma. Geriatric Times. Web.
Shea, J. L. (2011). Older women, marital relationships, and sexuality in china. Ageing International, 36(3), 361-377.
Stacy, T., Schumm, Ph., Laumann, E.O., Levinson, W., OMuircheartaigh, C.A., Waite, L.J. (2007). A study of sexuality and health among older adults in the United States. The New England Journal of Medicine, 357(8), 23-34.
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