RESEARCH PROJECTS

Healthy Sexual Ageing

This project focuses on sexuality among older people, examining specifically the association between sexuality and healthy ageing. This large European study has participation from Denmark, Norway, Croatia, England, Portugal, and Belgium.

The main goals are to 1) examine sexual well-being, sexual function, sexual health, and body image among older people, and how these factors relate to healthy ageing, and disease prevention and treatment, and 2) examine help-seeking behavior in connection with sexual health and well-being.

The Norwegian Research Counsil has financed data collection with 9 mill. Norwegian Kroner, for a quantitative as well as qualitative data collection in all participating countries.

Project link: https://www.sv.uio.no/psi/english/research/projects/healthy-sexual-aging/

Project Status

Publications

  1. Fischer, N., Štulhofer, A., Carvalheira, A. A., Hald, G. M., & Træen, B. (Accepted pending revisions). Sexual Satisfaction in Older Couples from four European Countries: Exploring the Roles of Actual and Perceived Discrepancy in Sexual Interest, Physical Affection, and Emotional Intimacy. Journal of Sex Research.
  2. Graham, C., Štulhofer, A., Lange, T., Hald, G. M., Carvalheira, A. A., Enzlin, P., & Træen, B. (Online First). Prevalence and Predictors of Sexual Difficulties and Associated Distress Among Partnered, Sexually Active Older Women in Norway, Denmark, Belgium, and Portugal. Archives of Sexual Behavior. doi:10.1007/s10508-020-01742-7
  3. Træen, B., Kvalem, I. L., Hald, G. M., & Graham, C. (Online First). Extradyadic Activity in European Older Adults. Sexual and Relationship Therapy. doi: 10.1080/14681994.2019.1685085
  4. Træen, B., Hald, G. M., Fischer, N., & Janssen, E. (2020). European Older Adults’ Use of Lubricants and Medications to Enhance Erectile Function. International Journal of Sexual Health, 32(2), 81-93. doi: 10.1080/19317611.2020.1749210
  5. Kvalem, I. L., Graham, C., Hald, G. M., Carvalheira, A. A., Janssen, E., & Štulhofer, A. (2020). The role of body image in sexual satisfaction among partnered older adults: A population-based study in four European countries. European Journal of Ageing, 17, 163-173. doi: 10.1007/s10433-019-00542-w
  6. Fischer, N., Træen, B., Štulhofer, A., & Hald, G. M. (2020). Mechanisms underlying the association between perceived discrepancy in sexual interest and sexual satisfaction among partnered older adults in Europe. European Journal of Aging, 17, 151-162. doi: 10.1007/s10433-019-00536-8
  7. Hinchliff, S., Carvalheira, A. A., Štulhofer, A., Janssen, E., Hald, G. M., & Træen, B. (2020). Seeking help for sexual difficulties: Findings from a study with older adults in four European countries. European Journal of Aging, 17, 185-195. doi: 10.1007/s10433-019-00541-x
  8. Hald, G. , Graham, C., Štulhofer, A., Carvalheira, A. A., Janssen, E., & Træen, B. (2019). Prevalence of Sexual Problems and Associated Distress in Aging Men across Four European Countries. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 16(8), 1212-1225. doi: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2019.04.017
  9. Træen, B., Carvalheira, A. A., Hald, G. M., Lange, T., Kvalem, I. L. (2019). Attitudes Towards Sexuality in Older Men and Women Across Europe: Similarities, Differences and Associations with Their Sex Lives. Sexuality & Culture, 23(1), 1-25. doi: 10.1007/s12119-018-9564-9
  10. Træen, B., Štulhofer, A., Janssen, E., Carvalheira, A. A., Hald, G. M., Lange, T., & Graham, C. (2019). Sexual Activity and sexual satisfaction among older adults in four European countries. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 48(3), 815-829. doi: 10.1007/s10508-018-1256-x
  11. Fischer, N., Træen, B., & Hald, G. M. (2018). Predicting Partnered Sexual Activity among Older Adults in Four European Countries: The Role of Attitudes, Health and Relationship Factors. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 1-19. doi: 10.1080/14681994.2018.1468560
  12. Štulhofer, A., Hinchliff, S., Jurin, T., Hald, G. M., & Træen, B. (2018). Successful Aging and the Dynamics of Sexual Interest and Enjoyment in Aging European Men and Women. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 15(10), 1393-1402. doi: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2018.08.011
  13. Træen, B., Stulhofer, A., Jurin, T., & Hald, G. M. (2018). Seventy-Five Years Old and Still Going Strong: Stability and Change in Sexual Interest and Sexual Enjoyment in Men and Women Across Europe. International Journal of Sexual Health, 30(4), 323-336. doi: 10.1080/19317611.2018.1472704
  14. Træen, B., Carvalheira, A., Kvalem, I. L., & Hald, G. M. (2018). European older adults’ use of the Internet and social networks for love and sex. Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 12(3). doi: 10.5817/CP2018-3-1
  15. Štulhofer, A., Hinchliff, S., Jurin, T., Hald, G. M., & Træen, B. (2018). Successful aging and changes in sexual interest and enjoyment among older European men and women. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 15(10), 1393-1402. doi: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2018.08.011
  16. Træen, B., Hald, G. M., C., Enzlin, P., Jansen, E., Kvalem, I. L., Carvalheira, A. A., Štulhofer, A. (2017). Sexuality in older adults (65+) – An overview of the recent literature, part 1: Sexual function and its difficulties. International Journal of Sexual Health, 29(1), 1-10. doi: 10.1080./19317611.2016.1224286
  17. Træen, B., Carvalheira, A. A., Kvalem, I. L., Štulhofer, A., Jansen, E., Graham, C., G. M., Enzlin, P. (2017). Sexuality in older adults (65+) – An overview of the recent literature, part 2: Body image and sexual satisfaction. International Journal of Sexual Health, 29(1), 11-21. doi: 10.1080/19317611.2016.1227012
  18. Træen, B., Štulhofer, A., Jansen, E., Graham, C., Hald. G. M., Enzlin, P., & Carvalheira, A. (2016). Healthy sexual aging: Sexual function and sexual well-being in older European adults. OpenScienceEU, 6, 60-63.