Suche
Loneliness and sexuality: how education influences our relationships!
Study shows how sexual behavior is influenced by socio -economic factors, education and loneliness. Researchers analyzed over 400,000 people.
Loneliness and sexuality: how education influences our relationships!
A current study that was carried out in cooperation with the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, the University of Queensland and Amsterdam University Medical Center has examined the sexual behavior of over 400,000 people between the ages of 39 and 73. It shows that about 1% of the respondents have never had sexual intercourse. This realization that Vol.at published, offers interesting insights into the connections between sexual experience and loneliness.
The analysis found significant differences between sexually active and inactive people. Sexually inactive people showed a higher level of education, but suffered more often from loneliness, nervousness and dissatisfaction. From a geographical point of view, there were also striking patterns: in regions with greater socio -economic inequality, a higher sexual inexperience was found. In addition, men without sexual experience were often physically weaker and lived in areas with a lower proportion of women.
Loneliness and socio -economic factors
The study illustrates the complex interplay of biological and social factors on sexuality. In addition, loneliness in Germany has intensified in recent years, especially during corona apandemia. According to the social report 2024, which is on bpb.de is available, the proportion of lonely people in the middle income zil rose from 6 % (2013) to 11 % (2021). In contrast, the proportion of lonely people in the upper and lower income zil rose only by 3 percentage points.
It is particularly striking that people with low socio -economic status represent a serious risk factor for loneliness. According to studies, most people felt lonely in the lower income area at all survey times, which recognized a constant difference of 10 percentage points to the upper income zil. Other factors that favor loneliness are female gender, young age and migration background.
Loneliness measurement and research
Loneliness has been measured in the socio-economical panel (SOEP) since 2013. This is the largest representative panel study of private households in Germany, which interviews almost 15,000 households with around 30,000 people annually. As a method for measurement, the UCLA compensation scale is used, which consists of three categories: Feeling that you lack the society of others, feeling of being excluded and the feeling of social isolation. The results of the SOEP survey from 2021 show that loneliness is increasingly a topic of public interest diw.de.
The challenges that result from loneliness are not only social, but also health in nature. Women, people with low income and people with a migration background are particularly affected. After pandemic, the feelings of loneliness have strengthened, and it is essential to research the reasons and develop strategies in order to combat loneliness and help people.