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Male Sexual Function

  • Chapter
Geriatric Medicine

Abstract

Sexual function decreases markedly with advancing age. In a survey of an outpatient clinic population, Slag et al1 found that one in three patients over 40 years of age had erectile dysfunction. Half of these patients wanted treatment for their impotence. Kinsey et al2 found that the frequency of intercourse decreased from an average of once per week at 65 years of age to once every 10 weeks by the age of 80 years. The reasons for the decline in sexual function with advancing age are multifactorial and include psychological, physiologic, and pathologic processes. The exact role played by each of these processes varies from individual to individual. In addition, a number of changes occur in male hormonal function with advancing age. The effects of these changes on male sexuality are ill defined, and they may also play a role in a number of changes commonly associated with aging, such as decreased muscle strength and osteopenia.

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Authors
  1. John E. Morley
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  2. Fran E. Kaiser
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  3. L. E. Johnson
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Section of General Internal Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, 60637, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Christine K. Cassel M.D. (Chief) (Chief)

  2. Journal of the American Medical Association, 60610, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Donald E. Riesenberg M.D. (Senior Editor, Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine) (Senior Editor, Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine)

  3. Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, 60637, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Donald E. Riesenberg M.D. (Senior Editor, Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine) (Senior Editor, Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine)

  4. Department of Medicine, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, 60637, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Leif B. Sorensen M.D., Ph.D. (Associate Chief) (Associate Chief)

  5. Geriatric Medicine, Portland V.A. Medical Center, 97207, Portland, Oregon, USA

    John R. Walsh M.D. (Chief) (Chief)

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© 1990 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Morley, J.E., Kaiser, F.E., Johnson, L.E. (1990). Male Sexual Function. In: Cassel, C.K., Riesenberg, D.E., Sorensen, L.B., Walsh, J.R. (eds) Geriatric Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-2093-8_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-2093-8_20

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-2095-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-2093-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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