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ABSTRACT
Elderly people are very common perceived as asexual but some studies have reported some variations. However, very little research has been done to determine the facilitators and barriers that affect sexuality, especially in relation to elderly women. This study was undertaken to explore perceptions of sexuality among a selection of married older women in Iran in terms of facilitators and barriers. Accordingly, a study was done on 27 married women, older than 60 years. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify four distinct subthemes that served as facilitators of sexual desire. These were determined as life satisfaction, favourable outcome, spouse's characteristics, and a sense of duty. Four other subthemes were determined as barriers to sexual desire; namely physical weakness, evolving emotions, a sense of taboo, and a sense of insecurity. All these variables appeared rooted in religious teachings, social stereotypes, or cultural traditions that constituted women's perceptions of themselves as elderly married women. Further study is recommended on elderly people that includes participants of both sexes and with different marital statuses.
Acknowledgement
We thank our participants for sharing their life experiences with us and Bushehr University of Medical Sciences for supporting the research.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Tayebeh Gharibi
Dr Maryam Ravanipour is an associate professor in the faculty of Nursing and Midwifery at Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Iran. She began her teaching career as a lecturer in nursing at University of Bushehr in 2000. Dr Ravanipour earned her PhD in Nursing with a specific focus on Older Adults’ Well-Being from Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Iran in 2008. She was immediately trained on the subject of care for older people at the University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht, Netherlands. Her research interests include the broader areas of health, particularly older adults’ health and well-being. She had been working as Deputy-Dean (Research) at the Bushehr University of Medical Sciences for about three years. Dr Ravanipour has also been appointed as Vice-Dean (Education) at the faculty of Nursing and Midwifery for two years. Dr Ravanipour has been supervising several Master's thesis degree programme in education, chronic disease, and older people and the ways to empower them. She has published several scientific papers in reputed and refereed international journals. Dr Ravanipour has currently published a book entitled “Review on Ageing with an Empowerment Approach” in Persian.
Tahereh Gharibi
Tayebeh Gharibi is a lecturer in the faculty of Nursing and Midwifery at Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Iran. She began her teaching career at University of Bushehr in 1992. Gharibi earned her MSc in Midwifery from Ahwaz University of Medical Sciences, Iran, in 2004. She had been manager of Midwifery group for 6 years and has also been appointed as Vice-Dean (Education) at the faculty of Nursing and Midwifery for five years. Her research interests is areas of health, particularly women and sexuality. She has published several scientific papers in refereed international journals. Gharibi has currently published two books on Obstetrics and Midwifery in Persian.
Maryam Ravanipour
Tahereh Gharibi has taught as an instructor at Bushehr University of Medical Sciences for 26 years. She is expertize in advising sexual consultation. She has participated in publishing several international papers and also two Midwifery books in Persian.