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Quiz: The Truth About Sex After 50

Text your knowledge of later-in-life sexual health

Michelle Crouch,

AARP

En español

Published June 04, 2021

9 Questions

Quiz: The Truth About Sex After 50

[ {
  "question" : "Which of these is a normal physiological change that may affect the way men experience sex as they age?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Delayed erection",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Less semen",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Shorter orgasm",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "All of the above",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Those changes don’t necessarily affect a man’s ability to enjoy sex and erotic pleasure.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Which of these is a normal physiological change that may affect the way women experience sex as they age?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Vaginal lengthening",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Vaginal dryness",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Vaginal walls become thicker",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "All of the above",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "As women age, the vagina becomes shorter and its walls become thinner and stiffer. Most women also have less vaginal lubrication, potentially making intercourse more painful.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "What do couples in long-term relationships who are most satisfied with their sex lives have in common, according to research?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "They have sex at least two times a week",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "They have a gender-traditional arrangement in which the woman does the majority of the housework and childcare",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "They aren’t shy about sharing their fantasies",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "They believe a happy sex life takes hard work and effort",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "According to a study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, the couples who are happiest with their sex lives are those who recognize that sex takes effort, rather than expecting it to happen because of a natural chemistry or passion between two people.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Men 50 to 59 are how many more times likely to experience erectile dysfunction compared to men under age 30?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Two times more likely",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Three times more likely",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Four times more likely",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Five times more likely",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Studies show that the prevalence of erectile dysfunction increases with age, with nearly 70 percent of men at age 70 experiencing it at least occasionally. However, medications for the condition have been found to be highly effective.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "What percentage of adults age 60 to 85 have discussed sexual health with a medical provider?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "5 percent",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "17 percent",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "33 percent",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "41 percent",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Fewer than 1 in 5 respondents in a poll sponsored by AARP and Michigan Medicine, the University of Michigan’s academic medical center, said they had discussed sexual health with a medical provider in the last two years.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "In women, having less sex has been linked to:",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Higher quality sleep",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Increased vaginal dryness",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Depression",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Earlier onset of menopause",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "A 2020 study published in the British journal Royal Society Open Science found that women who had sex less than monthly were more likely to begin menopause at an earlier age.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "About how many new HIV diagnoses in the U.S. are among people age 50 and older?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "1 in 6",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "1 in 10",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "1 in 12",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "1 in 20",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Older Americans are actually getting HIV faster than people under age 40, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "What is the best treatment for women who find postmenopausal sex painful?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Vaginal lubricants",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Estrogen cream (vaginal estrogen therapy)",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "The medication Osphena",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "All of the above",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Those treatments have all been shown to help make sex more comfortable for older women. Estrogen cream and Osphena, a nonhormonal drug that is taken orally, both require a prescription from a medical provider.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Which one of these is not an online dating site designed for adults over age 50?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "OurTime",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "SilverSingles",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Bumble",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "50plus-Club",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Bumble is a popular dating site, but it does not specifically cater to older adults.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
} ]

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Quiz: The Truth About Sex After 50

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Michelle Crouch is a contributing writer who has covered health and personal finance for some of the nation’s top consumer publications. Her work has appeared in Reader’s Digest, Real Simple, Prevention, The Washington Post and The New York Times.

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