Background: Sexual activity in elderly people is a topic of growing interest but the relationships of sexual activity, libido and widowhood to mortality have been barely investigated.
Methods: A total of 2,453 subjects enrolled from a nationwide survey on health status of residents aged 65 years or older in Taiwan between 1989 and 1991 were followed up until 31 December 2003 for ascertaining cause of death. Information on the frequency of sexual activity, libido (sexual desire), widowhood, disease status and relevant risk factors for risk of death at baseline were collected.
Results: After controlling for age and relevant confounding factors, sexual activity was found to be inversely related to mortality {adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 0.67 [95% confidence interval (CI):0.56-0.80] for males, aHR = 0.84 (95% CI:0.65-1.09) for females and aHR = 0.72 (95% CI: 0.62-0.84) for both sexes combined}. Men having libido had lower mortality [aHR = 0.81 (95% CI:0.68-0.97)]. Widowhood status was positively correlated with mortality [aHR = 1.66 (95% CI: 1.25-2.19) for males, aHR = 1.33 (95% CI: 1.09 to -1.62) for females and aHR = 1.43 (95% CI: 1.21-1.68) for both sexes combined]. Sexual activity was also inversely related to mortality from stroke [aHR = 0.64 (95% CI: 0.41-1.00)].
Conclusions: Sexual activity was associated with all-cause and cause-specific mortality independently of other risk factors. This finding was consistent with the elevated risk of death associated with widowhood for both men and women, and by the decreased mortality risk in men having libido.