Problems with sex can affect adults of all ages
"Large number of young people experience sex problems," The
Guardian reports. In one of the largest UK surveys of its kind, 1 in 10 young
men and 1 in 8 young women reported having persistent distressing sexual
problems.
Commonly reported problems
are:
- Premature ejaculation in men,
- Problems reaching climax in women,
- A general lack of interest in sex in both genders.
The survey found 9% of men and 13% of women experienced a sexual problem
they found distressing.
Concern about young people and sex tends to focus on preventing unwanted
pregnancies and sexually
transmitted infections (STIs), say the study authors, but less is
known about how young people fare in terms of sexual well-being.
The researchers used information from 2,392 people aged 16 to 21,
interviewed in 2010 to 2012.
While problems with sexual dysfunction are usually associated with older
adults, it would seem that they are also a cause of concern in the young. This
could lead to problems in the future as a distressing sexual experience in
early adulthood could trigger long-term issues.
The researchers suggest that sex education shouldn't just focus on the
negatives (STIs, unwanted pregnancies, and so on), but also provide practical
advice on how to make
sex better. This might prevent these problems from becoming lifelong
difficulties.
Whatever your age, if you are having problems with your sexual
relationships, talk to your GP. Good sexual health isn't just about avoiding
infection or pregnancy. Having a fulfilling sex life is just as important.
The study was carried out by researchers from the London School of
Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of Glasgow, University College London
and the University of Southampton. It was funded by the Medical Research
Council and Wellcome Trust.
The study was published in the peer-reviewed
Journal of Adolescent Health on an open-access
basis so it is free to read
online.
The Guardian, The Independent, and BBC Newsbeat covered the story
accurately, featuring interviews with the lead researcher and other sexual
health experts, who called for more attention to be given to sexual
satisfaction and pleasure in sex education.
What kind of research was
this?
This was a cross-sectional
survey, designed to be representative of the UK's population as a
whole. For this study, they looked at the data from people aged 16 to 21.
They wanted to see how common sexual problems are for people this age.
The larger study included people aged 16 to 74 and results were reported
elsewhere. A cross-sectional survey is a "snapshot" of time, so we
don't know whether people carried on having problems, or whether their
experiences changed over time.
What did the research
involve?
Researchers randomly selected 15,162 people – of all ages – within
geographical areas chosen to give a balanced representation of the UK as a
whole. They asked people a broad range of questions, including about their
sexual experiences, in visits to their homes. They then "drilled
down" to look in further detail just at the information provided by
the 2,392 women and men aged 16 to 21.
More sensitive questions in the survey were asked using a computer
system, where people filled in the answers themselves, without the researchers
seeing the answers. This was done to encourage people to give truthful answers,
without feeling embarrassed.
People who said they'd had sex in the last year were asked if they'd had
these problems, lasting for a period of three months or more:
• Lack of interest in having sex
• Lack of enjoyment in sex
• Anxiety during sex
• Physical pain as a result of sex
• No excitement or arousal during sex
• Not reached a climax (experienced an orgasm) or taking a long time to
reach a climax despite feeling excited or aroused
• Reached a climax (experienced an
orgasm) more quickly than you would like
• Uncomfortable vaginal
dryness
• Trouble getting or keeping an
erection
They were then asked if they'd felt distressed as a result of these
problems, and whether they'd asked for help from friends, family, through the
media, or health professionals.
What were the basic
results?
Sexual problems were relatively common among teenagers and young adults,
although not as common as in the general population. Women were more likely to
report sexual problems:
• 44% of women aged 16 to 21 had experienced a sexual problem, compared to
51.2% of women in the general population.
• 33.8% of men aged 16 to 21 had experienced a sexual problem, compared to
41.6% of men in the general population.
Of the problems causing distress, inability to reach orgasm was the most
commonly experienced problem for women (6.3% said this problem affected and
distressed them), and climaxing too soon the most commonly experienced problem
among men (4.5% said this affected and distressed them).
Other common distressing problems for women were lack of interest in sex
(22% reported this, with 5.3% saying they'd experienced and been distressed by
it) and feeling physical pain during sex (9% experienced this, with 3.2% saying
they'd been distressed by it). Between 8% and 10% of women reported feeling
anxious during sex, experiencing no arousal or getting no pleasure from sex.
Men were less likely to report distressing problems. The main
distressing problem other than climaxing too soon was difficulty getting or
keeping an erection (7.8% experienced this and 3.3% said they'd been distressed
by it).
Women were more likely to seek help for problems than men, although few
of either gender sought advice from health professionals (7.9% of women and
3.6% of men). Most people who sought help looked to friends or family.
How did the researchers
interpret the results?
The researchers concluded: "If we wish to improve sexual well-being
in the population, we need to reach individuals and couples as they embark on
their sexual careers, to prevent lack of knowledge, anxiety, and shame turning
into lifelong sexual difficulties." They said their data gave a starting
point for this work.
They suggested that better sexual education is needed to "debunk
myths, discuss pleasure" and emphasise the importance of communication and
respect in relationships. In addition, they said, given how common sexual
problems seem to be in this group, it "may be appropriate" for
healthcare providers to discuss sexual function with young people who attend
for contraception or sexually transmitted infection screening.
Conclusion
The survey results show that sexual problems are relatively common among
young people. The findings are perhaps not surprising, but suggest an unmet
need for advice and support around sexual function and enjoyment, as well as
the more traditional concerns of preventing unwanted pregnancy and infections.
Sex education is not compulsory for non-maintained schools in the UK,
although pressure is mounting to make it so. Much traditional sex education
focuses on contraception and safer sex practices.
There have long been calls for sex education to also include discussions
of sexual pleasure and what makes for a happy sex life. Previous
research has found that young people with good sexual function are more
likely to protect themselves against sexually transmitted infections and
unwanted pregnancy.
There are some limitations to the research. Although the researchers
tried to balance their survey population to be representative of the UK as a
whole, only 57.7% of people aged 16 to 74 asked agreed to take part. It's
possible that people who didn't take part had sexual experiences that differed
in some way from those who did take part. This would make the survey results
less applicable to the UK as a whole. However, younger people who were asked to
take part were more likely to do so (65.8% of 16 to 44 year olds).
The survey also relies on people answering questions truthfully and was
carried out in a way that maximised the chances of this happening. But some
people may have felt embarrassed to admit to problems, even without the
interviewers being able to see their answers.
If you are having a problem then it is recommended to see your GP. While
the prospect may seem embarrassing, they are trained to deal with problems with
sexual dysfunction.
Source:
http://www.nhs.uk/news/2016/08August/Pages/Around-1-in-10-UK-young-people-report-distressing-sex-problems.aspx
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