Are post-menopausal women "half-a-man"?: sexual beliefs, attitudes and concerns among midlife Chinese women.

The objective of this study was to explore the concerns and issues specific to sexual behaviors and interests among postmenopausal women in a metropolitan urban city in Southern China. This was a qualitative study using semi-structured focus group discussions (FGDs). Twenty-two informants aged 50 and above recruited through an ongoing research project on early post-menopausal women under the purview of the School of Public Health at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The main outcome measures were themes identified as health concerns towards sex among postmenopausal women. Contrary to prior expectations and stereotypes, we found that the respondents were very open in discussing their sexual concerns and shared extensively from their personal experiences. Our respondents perceived significant differences in sexual needs between older men and women. Many respondents identified the effects of menopause and general health problems, as well as environmental limitations and communication problems between spouses as barrier to healthy sexual relationships within their marriages. Conversely, sexual disharmony was seen as an important cause of marital strife among older couples. There is a growing need in studying health concerns among the fast-growing, Chinese middle-aged and older population. Our qualitative study revealed a wide gap in the knowledge regarding general and sexual health issues among post-menopausal Chinese women. Raising awareness among health professionals of these issues is essential in addressing health concerns regarding this traditionally taboo subject within the Chinese context.