Trends in Frequency of Sexual Activity and Number of Sexual Partners Among Adults Aged 18 to 44 Years in the US, 2000-2018.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Repeated cross-sectional survey analysis.
PubMed 32530470 · doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.3833
What was done
Investigators analyzed repeated cross-sectional data from 10 biennial rounds of the nationally representative General Social Survey (2000–2018) for US adults aged 18 to 44 years (response rates: 59.5%–71.4%). Analyzed cohorts comprised 4,291 men and 5,213 women for past-year sexual frequency (inactive, 1–2 times/year, 1–3 times/month, or weekly or more) and 4,372 men and 5,377 women for past-year number of sexual partners (0, 1, 2, or ≥3). Multivariable logistic regression assessed secular trends and sociodemographic correlates.
What was found
Between 2000–2002 and 2016–2018, past-year sexual inactivity increased among men aged 18 to 24 years (18.9% vs 30.9%; age-adjusted odds ratio [aOR] for trend across survey periods, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.04–1.39), with no significant change among women aged 18 to 24 years (15.1% vs 19.1%; aOR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.89–1.18). Inactivity also increased among adults aged 25 to 34 years (men: 7.0% vs 14.1%, aOR, 1.23 [95% CI, 1.07–1.42]; women: 7.0% vs 12.6%, aOR, 1.17 [95% CI, 1.01–1.35]), but not among those aged 35 to 44 years. Weekly or more sexual frequency declined among men aged 18–24 (51.8% vs 37.4%), men aged 25–34 (65.3% vs 50.3%), women aged 25–34 (66.4% vs 54.2%), and married adults (men: 71.1% vs 57.7%; women: 69.1% vs 60.9%). Sexual inactivity was higher among men with part-time or no employment (aOR vs full-time, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.48–2.93) and students (men: aOR, 2.94 [95% CI, 2.06–4.21]; women: aOR, 2.37 [95% CI, 1.68–3.35]).
Why it matters
This study establishes a substantial increase in sexual inactivity over two decades among US young adults, concentrated heavily among young unmarried men and individuals with lower income or non-full-time employment.
Limits
Measures rely entirely on self-reported survey responses, which are susceptible to recall and social desirability biases. The cross-sectional design cannot confirm causal mechanisms linking economic changes or relationship status to sexual inactivity. The study was restricted to adults aged 18 to 44 years.
Cited by
- supports Survey data shows that roughly 18% to 20% of men report having three or more sexual partners within the past year, a figure that has remained relatively unchanged since the year 2000.
- supports In survey data on sexual behavior, the most common reported number of sexual partners in the past 12 months is one, followed by zero.