Practical Geriatrics: Maintaining Sexual Health After Menopause

The 2000 document addresses the under-researched area of sexual health in postmenopausal women, noting that sexual dysfunction is more common in women (43%) than in men (31%) and that research on women's sexuality lags 20 years behind men's. It points out that around 70% of healthy 70-year-olds are sexually active and that sexual function is one of the last abilities to decline with age. The article discusses the biological changes that affect sexual desire, excitement, and orgasm, which are influenced by health, mental state, relationships, and hormones. It highlights the potential benefits of testosterone supplementation for women with low levels to improve sexual desire, arousal, and orgasm, but also the lack of long-term research on dosages and risks, and the need for informed consent and monitoring due to the lack of FDA approval for this use. The document also mentions other unapproved medications and alternative treatments, and the role of psychosexual therapy for psychological issues. It suggests that older women's sexual health can be maintained through gentler, patient, and flexible approaches by their partners, reassurance of desirability, and the use of sexual aids and therapy techniques. The need for more research on sexual disorders in older women is emphasized, including physiological changes, diagnosis, measurement of arousal, testosterone deficiency, and education on sexual changes and therapies. The author has disclosed speaking engagements for pharmaceutical companies.