The Use of Protection for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and Unwanted Pregnancy among Norwegian Heterosexual Young Adults 2009

This paper explores the use and none-use of condoms among young heterosexual adults in Norway. To what extent do young heterosexuals use condoms and other types of contraception, and in which context does the use take place? What are the motives underlying both use and non use of condoms? The results are based on a 2009 national web panel survey among 16–24 year-olds in Norway (n = 871). Most respondents reported having met their most recent sex partner via friends or family, and 62% referred to the sex partner as a sweetheart. One out of two claimed they had not used condoms during the first sexual intercourse with this partner. A factor analysis revealed 2-D of motivation for not using condoms, referred to here as ‘Fear of Suspicion’ and ‘Mutual Trust’. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that, when controlled for gender, age, and number of sex partners in one’s life, ‘Mutual Trust’ had a statistically significant relationship to coital frequency and the number of years coitally active. None of the predictor variables had a statistically significant relationship with 'Fear of Suspicion'. The most commonly reported motives for the most recent sexual intercourse were having been ‘sexually aroused’ and ‘in love’. A total of 56% reported using hormonal contraception, while 20% used condoms. The most important reasons for not using condoms were: ‘used other contraception’, ‘did not worry about STIs’, ‘more pleasurable without’, ‘had none available’, and ‘unprepared for intercourse’. The most important reasons for condom use were to ‘avoid pregnancy’, ‘avoid STIs’, and ‘avoid HIV’

Avanseregulering i den norske bokmarknaden. Teoretiske og praktiske effektar

17. juni 2013 vart boklova vedteken på Stortinget. Lova spesifiserer ei avanseregulering i form av ein maksimal rabatt leverandør kan gje forhandlar og eit ikkje-diskrimineringsprinsipp basert på vertikalt eigarskap. Denne utgreiinga presenterer teoretiske og praktiske effektar av eit tak på innkjøpsrabatten og ikkje-diskrimineringsprinsippet. Fokuset er på økonomiske effektar som påverkar verdiskapinga skapt i relasjonen mellom forlag og bokhandlar. Me startar med å analysere avansereguleringa i konteksten av lineære kontraktar, først der etterspørselen berre avhenger av pris og deretter kor aktørane kan påverke etterspørselen gjennom salsfremjande verksemd. Vidare opnar me opp for at partane står fritt til å nytte sofistikerte kontraktar. Me finn at avansereguleringa berre under strenge føresetnader vil nå formålet om å beskytte små og mellomstore forlag. Det vil vere naudsynt å sikre at bokhandlarkjedene ikkje nyttar hylleavgifter til å kapre ein utilbørleg stor del av verdiskapinga. I den vedtekne reguleringa er det opna opp for at aktørane kan inngå individuelle avtalar kring hylleavgifter og derav finn me at det vil bli vanskeleg å nå målsetnaden om å beskytte små og mellomstore forlag. I tillegg vil reguleringa kunne pådytte aktørane ulike former for ineffektivitet. Vidare argumenterer me for at eit ikkje-diskrimineringsprinsipp basert på eigarskap ikkje er avgjerande for å beskytte uavhengige aktørar. I tillegg vil eit slikt prinsipp føre til at den vertikalt integrerte bedrifta vert pådytta ein ineffektivitet ved å tvingast til å nytte ein internpris som ligg over marginalkostnad. Avslutningsvis syner me at ein MFN-klausul kan beskytte små og mellomstore aktørar i like stor grad som avansereguleringa i kombinasjon med eit ikkje-diskrimineringsprinsipp

Linking the past and the present: constructing meaning from childhood emotional and sexual experiences towards present sexual well-being in older adults

How do older adults make sense of early sexual experiences with regard to their present sexual well-being? In 2016, a qualitative study on sexual well-being was undertaken among 65- to 85-year-olds of different genders, sexual orientations, and from different social layers. Thirty-two individuals were interviewed. In a thematic analysis, five main subjects were constructed, each showing variability in experience and understanding, while at the same time showing examples of meanings given to the relationship between early emotional and sexual experiences and present sexual well-being. The study indicates that the lack of understanding of one’s own sexual history may be a consequence of lacking knowledge about sexuality and the psychological aspects of one’s well-being, both emotional and sexual, which are reciprocally dependent. The findings should increase awareness among health personnel of factors other than present sexual function for understanding sexual well-being in older adults

Relationship intimacy, sexual distress, and help-seeking for sexual problems among older European couples : a hybrid dyadic approach

There is evidence that emotional intimacy can buffer the distress associated with sexual difficulties. Considering that older adults are at an increased risk of chronic illness, many of which (including their medical treatment) can impact their sexual well-being, the link between intimacy and sexual distress may be particularly relevant for older couples. To start bridging the gap in our understanding of the links between older couples’ emotional intimacy, distress about sexual function, and seeking professional help for sexuality-related issues, the current study used a 4-country sample with 218 Norwegian, 207 Danish, 135 Belgian, and 117 Portuguese couples aged 60-75 years. Two hypotheses were explored with a hybrid dyadic analysis: (1) a couple’s emotional intimacy is negatively related to partner’s distress about sexual function, but (2) positively associated with their help-seeking for sexual health issues. Less than 10% of participants in the current study reported seeking professional help, with the majority reporting their primary care physician as the contacted person. Couples’ emotional intimacy was consistently (and negatively) associated with female partners’ sexual distress across countries, but was unrelated to help-seeking for sexual problems. The findings illustrate the role of shared emotional intimacy in older women’s distress about sexual function, but also indicate that older couples characterized by high intimacy should not be assumed to seek professional help for sexually-related issues more readily than other couples

Jazzimprovisasjon via transkripsjon og etyder

En masteroppgave om musikeres tilegning av vokabular til jazzimprovisasjon ved hjelp av metodene transkripsjon og etyder

Successful aging, change in sexual interest and sexual satisfaction in couples from four European countries

Although the importance of sexuality and physical intimacy for well-being of older adults has been recognized, the role of sexuality in successful aging (SA) has been largely neglected. Building on our previous work, here we further validated a three-dimensional model of SA and examined its associations with sexual satisfaction and change in sexual interest among older heterosexual couples (aged 60–75 years). Participants were recruited in a probability-based survey, which was carried out in 2016–2017 in four European countries. Using structural equation modeling of the Actor–Partner Interdependence, we observed significant relationships between SA and sexual satisfaction for both male and female partners across countries. Among women, their retrospectively assessed change in sexual interest over the past 10 years was consistently associated with sexual satisfaction. Partner effects were gender-specific: male partners’ SA was significantly related to their female partners’ change in sexual interest, which in turn was linked to male partners’ sexual satisfaction. The findings point to substantial ties between successful aging and sexuality in older European couples. Taking into account the prevalent stereotypes about old age and sexuality, this study’s findings can assist professionals working with aging couples

Sexuality in Older Adults (65+):An Overview of the Literature, Part 1: Sexual Function and its Difficulties

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in International Journal of Sexual Healthon 14 Sep 2016, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/19317611.2016.1224286.Aim: The aim of the current paper was to provide an overview of literature on sexual function and sexual difficulties in older adults. Method: We conducted a narrative review of papers published in English between January 2005 and July 2015 based on an extensive search in PsycINFO. Results: The review showed that while common biological changes may adversely affect sexual function in old age, sexual experience seems to also be affected by psychological and interpersonal factors. Conclusions: Greater life expectancy and better medical care will result in older individuals with chronic diseases living longer. The need for help to cope with changes in sexual health is likely to increase in older adults, as sexuality may be negatively affected through several pathways.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Seeking-help for sexual difficulties : findings from a study with older adults in four European countries

Sexual well-being is an important part of life for many people aged 60 and older. However, older adults often face barriers to seeking and receiving help for sexual difficulties. This study used data from a probability survey (n=3820) on sexuality and ageing to examine help-seeking in 60-75 year-olds in Norway, Denmark, Belgium, and Portugal. More men (12.2%) than women (6.8%) had sought professional help for a sexual difficulty in the past 5 years. The main reason for help-seeking was that sex was important to the participant and/or their relationship. The main source of professional help was the primary-care physician. Of those who had sought professional help, 48% were satisfied or very satisfied with the help received, 31.6% were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, and 20.4% were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied. Others had sought help from informal sources, particularly partners, friends, or websites. The main reasons for not seeking professional help included not being distressed by the symptoms, and thinking that the difficulty would clear up on its own. Multivariable regression analysis revealed that significant correlates of seeking professional help for women and men were level of distress about the sexual difficulty. With regard to women, those who were married, and/or from Portugal were more likely to have sought help. And regarding men, those who attended religious services were more likely to have sought professional help. These results have important implications for healthcare, and can be used to inform the development and delivery of services for older adults who experience sexual difficulties

Successful aging and changes in sexual interest and enjoyment among older European men and women

Introduction Despite the popularity and analytical relevance of the concept of successful aging, little efforts have been made to address its relationship to sexuality in older individuals. Aim To explore the relationship between successful aging and the (retrospectively assessed) change in sexual interest and enjoyment in the past 10 years, using a new multidimensional model of successful aging. Methods The data for this study was collected in 2016 using national probability-based surveys in four European countries (Norway, Denmark, Belgium and Portugal). In total, information from 2,461 sexually active and inactive participants aged 60–75 years was used for analyses. Multigroup structural equation analysis was employed to address the associations between key constructs. Main Outcome Measure The dependent variable was a composite (two-item) indicator of change in sexual interest and enjoyment in the past 10 years; a multifaceted model of successful aging predicted the change by country and gender. Results Tested cross-culturally, the proposed model of successful aging demonstrated a good fit to the data. Furthermore, its metric characteristics enabled direct comparisons across gender and national cultures. Controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, higher successful aging scores were consistently related to lower reduction in sexual interest/enjoyment among men and women across the 4 countries. Clinical Implications Given an increased life-expectancy and focus on healthy aging in many countries, the findings about the associations between sexual expression, quality of life and aging well are valuable to professionals working in the area of healthy sexual aging. Strength & Limitations This is the first study to systematically address the relationship between successful aging and sexuality. Furthermore, it provides a multidimensional measure of successful aging for a wide range of sexologic studies. Among limitations, possible self-selection bias (toward more sexually permissive and sexually active participants) and the fact that the findings are restricted to older heterosexual individuals, should be considered. Conclusion Without stigmatizing the absence of sexual expression in aging individuals, the findings from this cross-cultural study point out that sustained sexual interest and sexual enjoyment are linked to successful aging in both genders

Sexual function in 16- to 21-year-olds in Britain

Purpose: Concern about young people's sexuality is focused on the need to prevent harmful outcomes such as sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancy. Although the benefit of a broader perspective is recognized, data on other aspects of sexuality, particularly sexual function, are scant. We sought to address this gap by measuring the population prevalence of sexual function problems, help seeking, and avoidance of sex in young people. Methods: A cross-sectional stratified probability sample survey (Natsal-3) of 15,162 women and men in Britain (response rate: 57.7%), using computer-assisted self-interviews. Data come from 1875 (71.9%) sexually active, and 517 sexually inactive (18.7%), participants aged 16–21 years. Measures were single items from a validated measure of sexual function (the Natsal-SF). Results: Among sexually active 16- to 21-year-old participants, 9.1% of men and 13.4% of women reported a distressing sexual problem lasting 3 months or more in the last year. Most common among men was reaching a climax too quickly (4.5%), and among women was difficulty in reaching climax (6.3%). Just over a third (35.5%) of men and 42.3% of women reporting a problem had sought help, but rarely from professional sources. Among those who had not had sex in the last year, just >10% of young men and women said they had avoided sex because of sexual difficulties. Conclusions: Distressing sexual function problems are reported by a sizeable minority of sexually active young people. Education is required, and counseling should be available, to prevent lack of knowledge, anxiety, and shame progressing into lifelong sexual difficulties