Sex and aging: A survey of young adults

College students were surveyed regarding their sexual attitudes and behaviors, both currently and in late life. Half of the sample were asked to answer questions as they think they would at age 70 and the other half answered according to how they thought an older adult (friend or relative) would answer. Results indicated that although they were optimistic about continued sexual enjoyment in late life, there was also considerable ageism: they expected a considerable decrease in sexual activity along with an increase in sexual problems. Furthermore, their attitudes towards sexual activity in late life were more restrictive and conservative than their current attitudes. The presence of these attitudes in the current cohort of young adults confirms the need for education and communication about sexuality in late life. In addition to these findings there were significant gender differences in current attitudes and behaviors, such as frequency of sexual activity, interest in sex, masturbation, and guilt associated with sex, with men generally endorsing more interest and activity and fewer sex-related problems.