INSTRUMENTS FOR ASSESSING SEXUALITY IN LATIN AMERICAN ELDERLY PEOPLE

SCOPING REVIEW

Abstract

Sexuality is a vital and subjective part of every human being, which continues in aging, but takes on different forms and meanings depending on experiences and realities. Despite its importance, there is still a shortage of specific instruments for assessing sexuality of older adults. Given this scenario, the objective is to map the instruments used to assess the sexuality of elderly people in sociocultural and clinical contexts in Latin America. This is a scoping review with a qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory approach, conducted according to the methodological guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Manual for Evidence Synthesis and developed based on the PRISMA-ScR Checklist and Explanation version. Five studies focused on this topic were identified. The studies analyzed revealed that 80% of the main authors are from the Health Sciences field, and 60% used instruments with a psychosocial, affective, and attitudinal focus. The instruments mapped were the Sexual Self-Image Scale for Elderly Chileans, FSFI, ADAM, CASV-10, and EVASI. Despite these contributions, limitations persist regarding gender representation, sexual orientation, and the inclusion of LGBTQIAPN+ older adults. The conclusion is that there is a diversity of instruments for assessing sexuality in aging, encompassing functional and psychosocial approaches. However, more inclusive tools sensitive to Latin American realities need to be developed.