Sexuality and its effects on older adults’ depressive symptoms and quality of life
Edison Vitório de Souza Júnior, Diego Pires Cruz, Laís Reis Siqueira, Uanderson Silva Pirôpo, Randson Souza Rosa, Silva Filho, Namiê Okino Sawada
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: to analyze the effects of sexuality on depressive symptoms and quality of life in older adults. METHODS: a cross-sectional and analytical study, developed with 596 older adults, who completed four instruments for data collection. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test and Structural Equation Modeling, with a 95% Confidence Interval. RESULTS: among the sexuality dimensions, only physical and social adversities exerted statistically significant effects on depressive symptoms (SC=-0.095; p=0.003), but with low magnitude. Moreover, all sexuality dimensions had statistically significant effects on quality of life, being of low magnitude for sexual act (SC=0.171; p=0.010) and for physical and social adversities (SC=0.228; p<0.001), and moderate magnitude for affective relationships (SC=0.474; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: effects of different magnitudes were observed between sexuality dimensions on participants' depressive symptoms and quality of life.