Study on the sexual behavior patterns and the related factors among women aged 50 years and older with high HIV infection rates in rural areas

Objective: To understand the sexual behavior patterns and the related factors among rural women aged≥50 years. Methods: A multistage stratified cluster random sampling method was used to select women aged≥50 years in Shaoyang County, Hunan Province and Xingjing County, Sichuan Province, and a self-administered electronic questionnaire was used to conduct face-to-face interviews with the respondents, which mainly included general socio-demographic characteristics, sexual behavioral patterns and so on; χ²-test was used to compare the sexual behavioural satisfaction of people with different characteristics, and multiple linear regression was used to analyse the related factors of sexual behavioural satisfaction. Results: Of the 724 participants, 409 (56.4%) had marital sexual behaviors, 9 (1.2%) had non-marital sex, and 91.9% of 409 with marital sexual behaviors never used a condom in the past year. The results of simple linear regression showed that there were statisti-cally significant differences in education levels, couple relationship, sexual needs and attitudes towards sexual behaviour among older women. The results of multiple linear regression showed that education levels, sexual needs and attitudes towards sexual behaviour were related factors of marital sexual satisfaction among women aged 50 years and older in rural areas. Conclusion: In rural areas over the past year, the majority of women aged≥50 years have never used condoms during sex, and a few have engaged in extramarital sex. Most of these women report low satisfaction with marital sexual behavior. However, those with higher levels of education, greater sexual needs, and a belief in the necessity of sex exhibit higher levels of sexual behavior satisfaction. Promoting condom use among women aged≥50 years in rural areas, reducing non-marital sex, and strengthening sexual health education are essential to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in this population.