Sex in Australia: Sexual and emotional satisfaction in regular relationships and preferred frequency of sex among a representative sample of adults
Abstract Objectives : To document sexual and emotional satisfaction with their relationships and desired and actual frequency of sex among a representative sample of Australian adults. Method Between mid‐2001 and mid‐2002, computer‐assisted telephone interviews were completed by 10,173 men and 9,134...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2003-04-01
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| Series: | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-842X.2003.tb00805.x |
| _version_ | 1797763641485819904 |
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| author | Juliet Richters Andrew E. Grulich Richard O. deVisser Anthony M.A. Smith Chris E. Rissel |
| author_facet | Juliet Richters Andrew E. Grulich Richard O. deVisser Anthony M.A. Smith Chris E. Rissel |
| author_sort | Juliet Richters |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objectives : To document sexual and emotional satisfaction with their relationships and desired and actual frequency of sex among a representative sample of Australian adults. Method Between mid‐2001 and mid‐2002, computer‐assisted telephone interviews were completed by 10,173 men and 9,134 women aged 16–59 years from all States and Territories selected by modified random‐digit dialling of households (response rate 73.1%). Respondents in a regular relationship were asked how physically pleasurable they found sex with the partner to be and how emotionally satisfying the relationship was. All respondents were asked how often they would ideally like to have sex and how often they had sex in the past four weeks. Results : Most people in heterosexual relationships found sex very or extremely pleasurable (90.3% men, 79.1% women) and the relationship emotionally satisfying (87.5% men, 79.2% women); men were more satisfied with both. Physical pleasure in sex was correlated with emotional satisfaction. One person in four had had no sex in the past four weeks; most people had had sex less than twice a week. Most people wanted ideally to have sex more often than they did. However, 24.3% of men but only 8.3% of women said they ideally wanted sex daily or more often. Conclusion Men on average express higher levels of relationship satisfaction and of sexual interest, but the overlap between men and women is large. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T19:45:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7b9e8e3a15ee4f1fa8925536bc188e4c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1326-0200 1753-6405 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T19:45:19Z |
| publishDate | 2003-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-7b9e8e3a15ee4f1fa8925536bc188e4c2023-08-02T03:36:12ZengElsevierAustralian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health1326-02001753-64052003-04-0127217117910.1111/j.1467-842X.2003.tb00805.xSex in Australia: Sexual and emotional satisfaction in regular relationships and preferred frequency of sex among a representative sample of adultsJuliet Richters0Andrew E. Grulich1Richard O. deVisser2Anthony M.A. Smith3Chris E. Rissel4National Centre in HIV Social Research, University of New South WalesNational Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, University of New South WalesAustralian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society, La Trobe University, VictoriaAustralian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society, La Trobe University, VictoriaHealth Promotion Unit, Central Sydney Area Health Service, and Australian Centre for Health Promotion, University of Sydney, New South WalesAbstract Objectives : To document sexual and emotional satisfaction with their relationships and desired and actual frequency of sex among a representative sample of Australian adults. Method Between mid‐2001 and mid‐2002, computer‐assisted telephone interviews were completed by 10,173 men and 9,134 women aged 16–59 years from all States and Territories selected by modified random‐digit dialling of households (response rate 73.1%). Respondents in a regular relationship were asked how physically pleasurable they found sex with the partner to be and how emotionally satisfying the relationship was. All respondents were asked how often they would ideally like to have sex and how often they had sex in the past four weeks. Results : Most people in heterosexual relationships found sex very or extremely pleasurable (90.3% men, 79.1% women) and the relationship emotionally satisfying (87.5% men, 79.2% women); men were more satisfied with both. Physical pleasure in sex was correlated with emotional satisfaction. One person in four had had no sex in the past four weeks; most people had had sex less than twice a week. Most people wanted ideally to have sex more often than they did. However, 24.3% of men but only 8.3% of women said they ideally wanted sex daily or more often. Conclusion Men on average express higher levels of relationship satisfaction and of sexual interest, but the overlap between men and women is large.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-842X.2003.tb00805.x |
| spellingShingle | Juliet Richters Andrew E. Grulich Richard O. deVisser Anthony M.A. Smith Chris E. Rissel Sex in Australia: Sexual and emotional satisfaction in regular relationships and preferred frequency of sex among a representative sample of adults Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| title | Sex in Australia: Sexual and emotional satisfaction in regular relationships and preferred frequency of sex among a representative sample of adults |
| title_full | Sex in Australia: Sexual and emotional satisfaction in regular relationships and preferred frequency of sex among a representative sample of adults |
| title_fullStr | Sex in Australia: Sexual and emotional satisfaction in regular relationships and preferred frequency of sex among a representative sample of adults |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sex in Australia: Sexual and emotional satisfaction in regular relationships and preferred frequency of sex among a representative sample of adults |
| title_short | Sex in Australia: Sexual and emotional satisfaction in regular relationships and preferred frequency of sex among a representative sample of adults |
| title_sort | sex in australia sexual and emotional satisfaction in regular relationships and preferred frequency of sex among a representative sample of adults |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-842X.2003.tb00805.x |
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