Background:

Perceptions of older people about sexuality are little known. This review aimed to synthesize and analyse studies investigating these perceptions in institutionalized and in community-dwelling older people.

Methods:

A systematic search was developed in The Cochrane Library, Medline (Pubmed), PsycINFO, EMBASE, Web of Science, ProQuest, Cuiden, and CINHAL of articles published in both English and Spanish until April 2018.

Results:

1.122 articles were found, of which 11 met the inclusion criteria. Based on these articles, older people wanted to preserve active sexuality. The social stereotypes, the association between sexuality and fertility and marital duty, the lack of privacy, and the harms of relatives and professionals. The older male gay and bisexual or people with HIV reflected as a barrier to the fear of disclosing their sexual orientation or any disease, respectively.

Conclusions:

Older people believe sexuality as something positive and as a desire that they still want to express. The social stereotypes, the harms of the people with whom they live, the lack of privacy, and the association between sexuality and fertility and marital duty are considered as barriers to the expression of their sexual desire. Social and health care policies should take these considerations into account.

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