Majority of subjects with poorly controlled diabetes develop sexual dysfunction which largely impairs quality of life and mental health.

     Recent data from the US National Social life, Health and Aging Project (NSHAP) indicate that more than half of people aged 57-85 and about a third of those aged 75-85 are sexually active and that physical health is significantly correlated with sexual activity and many aspects of sexual function, independent of age.

     In a new study published in BMJ, the estimation of sexually active life expectancy, a new life expectancy tool, is described which could evolve in future for the projection of public health and patient needs in the arena of sexual health. The study revealed that the quality of sexual life is positively associated with good health in middle age and later life. Sexually active life expectancy was longer for men, but men lost more years of sexually active life as a result of poor health than women.

     The main outcome measures of the study were Sexual activity, quality of sexual life, interest in sex, and average remaining years of sexually active life, referred to as sexually active life expectancy. For that the researchers (Stacy Tessler Lindau, Associate professor, Natalia Gavrilova, Senior research associate,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Chicago) used the data from two representative groups including 3032 adults aged 25 to 74 (1561 women, 1471 men) and 3005 adults aged 57 to 85 (1550 women, 1455 men) .

     The study results show that at the age of 30, men have a sexually active life expectancy of nearly 35 years and for women it is around 31 years. At 55, these values change to about 15 remaining years for men and 10 years for women.

     Overall, the study results show that men live a significantly greater proportion of their adult life as sexually active yet lose significantly more years of sexually active life as a result of poor health than do women. The stronger association between sexually active life expectancy and health found in men may be explained in part by the effects of common chronic illnesses (diabetes, cardiovascular disease, prostate cancer) and their treatments on erectile function.