Zhenzhen Yu,1 Jianping Niu,1 Chen Wang2 

1Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen, Fujian, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Neurology and Department of Neuroscience, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Chen Wang, Department of Neurology and Department of Neuroscience, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Zhenhai Road No. 55, Siming District, Xiamen, Fujian, 361000, People’s Republic of China, Email wangchen1986xm@163.com Jianping Niu, Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen medical college, Shengguang Road No. 566, Jimei District, Xiamen, Fujian, 361000, People’s Republic of China, Email 549872685@qq.com

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the epidemiological features of sexual dysfunction in people aged more than 65 years in parts of China, and to investigate the independent significant risk factors.
Methods: According to the population distribution of five communities in Xiamen and Chongqing, we have randomly enrolled 2403 people more than 65 years-of-age. We collected data information through a questionnaire survey. Then demonstrated the current condition of sexual dysfunction in the samples by statistical analysis, and multivariable logistic regression was used to disclose the risk factors of sexual dysfunction in the older adults.
Results: According to this study, about 10.48% of the elderly had sexual dysfunctions of different degrees and duration. The proportion of men was about twice that of women (14.5% of males and 7.3% of females). During the course of the disease, 3.19% (43/1344) of women and 3.31% (35/1059) of men had more than 15 years duration of sexual dysfunction. In severity, 5.7% (77/1344) of women and 7.0% (74/1059) of men had very severe sexual dysfunction. There were statistically significant differences in BMI, smoking, drinking history, hypertension, depression incidence or median (p< 0.05). Alcohol consumption history [OR = 1.711, 95% CI: 1.124– 2.604, p = 0.012] and depression [OR = 2.107, 95% CI: 1.109– 4.356, p =0.044] were independent risk factors for sexual dysfunction.
Conclusion: The prevalence of sexual dysfunction was low among elderly in the southern part of China. But the course of the disease is long and the degree of the disease is very severe. Elderly with a history of drinking and depression are more prone to sexual dysfunction.

Keywords: epidemiology, sexual dysfunction, elderly, prevalence, risk factor