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The relationship between chronic diseases and number of sexual partners: an exploratory analysis

Grabovac, I; Smith, L; Yang, L; Soysal, P; Veronese, N; Turan Isik, A; Forwood, S; (2020) The relationship between chronic diseases and number of sexual partners: an exploratory analysis. BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health , 46 (2) pp. 100-107. 10.1136/bmjsrh-2019-200352. Green open access

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: We investigated sex-specific associations between lifetime number of sexual partners and several health outcomes in a large sample of older adults in England. METHODS: We used cross-sectional data from 2537 men and 3185 women aged ≥50 years participating in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Participants reported the number of sexual partners they had had in their lifetime. Outcomes were self-rated health and self-reported limiting long-standing illness, cancer, coronary heart disease, and stroke. We used logistic regression to analyse associations between lifetime number of sexual partners and health outcomes, adjusted for relevant sociodemographic and health-related covariates. RESULTS: Having had 10 or more lifetime sexual partners was associated with higher odds of reporting a diagnosis of cancer than having had 0-1 sexual partners in men (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.83) and women (OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.04 to 3.51), respectively. Women who had 10 or more lifetime sexual partners also had higher odds of reporting a limiting long-standing illness (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.15 to 2.35). No other statistically significant associations were observed. CONCLUSIONS: A higher lifetime number of sexual partners is associated with increased odds of reported cancer. Longitudinal research is required to establish causality. Understanding the predictive value of lifetime number of sexual partners as a behavioural risk factor may improve clinical assessment of cancer risk in older adults.

Type: Article
Title: The relationship between chronic diseases and number of sexual partners: an exploratory analysis
Location: England
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1136/bmjsrh-2019-200352
Publisher version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjsrh-2019-200352
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions.
Keywords: cancer, health outcomes, number of sexual partners, self-rated health, sexual activity, stroke
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health > Behavioural Science and Health
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10103071
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