tag:theconversation.com,2011:/institutions/university-of-houston-downtown-1501/articlesThe University of Houston-Downtown2023-11-06T20:03:07Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2165202023-11-06T20:03:07Z2023-11-06T20:03:07ZHow the pandemic permanently altered college towns<iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/how-the-pandemic-permanently-altered-college-towns" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>Universities are more than just halls of learning; they are vibrant ecosystems and often the beating heart of the towns they reside in. Their reach goes beyond academia and plays a significant role in shaping the local economies of <a href="https://downloads.esri.com/esri_content_doc/dbl/us/tapestry/segment66.pdf">North American college towns</a>. </p>
<p>However, the COVID-19 pandemic <a href="https://www.vox.com/the-goods/21319997/coronavirus-college-reopening-small-businesses">affected college towns profoundly</a>. In doing so, the pandemic highlighted the complex relationship between universities and their host communities.</p>
<p>College towns <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/30033889">can be classified into two distinct types</a> in North America. The first category includes towns with a strong academic ethos. In these cities, universities are the lifeblood flowing through their communities. Examples of this group include <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-ithaca-new-york-is-the-best-college-town-in-america-2013-11">Ithaca, N.Y.</a>; <a href="https://livability.com/best-places/10-best-college-towns/manhattan-ks/">Manhattan, Kan.</a>; and <a href="https://www.thewhig.com/2013/11/21/kingston-in-bbcs-top-5-university-towns">Kingston, Ont.</a>.</p>
<p>The second category features academic powerhouses nestled within capitals or major cities. These universities are essential components of the broader social, cultural and economic landscape, rather than being the defining feature. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-09-08/america-s-biggest-college-towns">Boston</a>; <a href="https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/best-universities/best-universities-los-angeles">Los Angeles</a>; <a href="https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/best-universities/best-universities-toronto">Toronto</a>; and <a href="https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/best-universities/best-universities-montreal">Montréal</a> are examples of this group. These cities combine vibrant academic atmospheres with big-city life, and they <a href="https://www.topuniversities.com/city-rankings/2023">consistently rank among the top choices for students to live</a>.</p>
<h2>Pre-pandemic college towns</h2>
<p>Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the constant influx of students, faculty, families and alumni in college towns created a consistent economic rhythm. Local businesses, ranging from cozy cafés to quaint bookstores to major retailers, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chipotle-college-towns-are-key-to-success-2022-8">thrived on the foot traffic from college students</a>.</p>
<p>But the pandemic changed all this. <a href="https://spectrum.library.concordia.ca/id/eprint/993099/">Our recent study</a> conducted an analysis of foot traffic data from universities situated in 38 small and midsize cities in the U.S., along with 157 Walmart and Target stores in these towns, from 2018 to 2020. </p>
<p>Our findings indicate a positive correlation between university foot traffic and store visits. Stores that were closer to universities benefited more from this relationship. In addition, stores in college towns that offered a wider range of commuting options, especially eco-friendly ones like public transit and biking, saw even greater advantages from their proximity to universities.</p>
<p>These findings emphasize the importance of improving accessibility for retailers looking to make the most of university foot traffic. Such measures not only bolster local business, but also highlight the wider environmental and communal benefits of adopting sustainable practices.</p>
<h2>Post-pandemic college towns</h2>
<p>The pandemic had an <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/26/how-coronavirus-changed-college-for-over-14-million-students.html">immediate and devastating impact on college towns</a>. <a href="https://nces.ed.gov/whatsnew/press_releases/06_16_2021.asp">Universities closed campuses, shifted to remote learning and cancelled in-person events</a>, causing these lively communities to become shadows of their former selves. </p>
<p>The economic repercussions were severe. Without a steady stream of visitors, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-21/what-the-pandemic-is-doing-to-college-towns">local businesses experienced a sharp decline in revenue</a>. Those located farther from the university faced even greater challenges, as the increased distance resulted in less in-store visits. </p>
<p>However, our research revealed that a broad range of commuting options continued to have a positive effect on the connection between university visits and store visits. In fact, this effect actually intensified.</p>
<p>Businesses, despite being hit hard by the disruptions, <a href="https://business.fiu.edu/academics/graduate/insights/posts/why-retailers-will-bounce-back-to-a-new-reality-after-the-pandemic.html">refused to succumb without a fight and began to adapt and innovate</a>. They embraced online sales, hosted virtual events and provided contactless deliveries.</p>
<p>Universities also showcased remarkable resilience and innovation. They transitioned to remote and hybrid teaching and virtual tours and events. They also supported students and local businesses through external partnerships, <a href="https://news.nd.edu/news/robot-food-delivery-launches-at-the-university-of-notre-dame/">as evidenced by initiatives like campus robot food delivery programs</a>.</p>
<p>These adaptations did more than just address immediate challenges — they also revealed untapped innovation potential, redefined the relationship between education and local businesses, and fundamentally transformed the nature of connectivity and interactivity in college towns. </p>
<h2>Thriving, not surviving</h2>
<p>The pandemic, despite its chaos, shed light on the importance of university visits in driving local economies. It also underscored the need for local businesses to tailor consumer experiences to the post-pandemic landscape by integrating physical and digital experiences. This encompasses everything from <a href="https://universitybusiness.com/the-future-of-campus-retail/">self-service technology</a> to <a href="https://news.utexas.edu/2023/01/24/ut-austin-campus-named-as-newest-h-e-b-delivery-hub/%22%22">express delivery services</a>.</p>
<p>Local governments and universities must play a crucial role in post-pandemic economic recovery by improving <a href="https://www.excal.on.ca/news/2023/09/29/york-university-awarded-the-first-best-university-for-commuters-in-canada/">public transit systems and bike-sharing programs</a>. A deeper collaboration between these entities is vital for boosting student enrolments and reinvigorating local economic activity. This should go beyond improving marketing and campus amenities and work on <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/news/2019/08/government-of-canada-making-post-secondary-education-more-accessible-and-affordable.html">making higher education more accessible and affordable</a>.</p>
<p>These initiatives are not just about recovery; they are a commitment to a more resilient future. The economic vitality of college towns is tied to the ebb and flow of university life. While the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fragility of this relationship, it also revealed a path forward characterized by adaptability, innovation and an unyielding sense of community. </p>
<p>By embracing a future that blends the physical with the digital, and tradition with innovation, college towns are not just surviving; they are redefining what it means to thrive.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216520/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The COVID-19 pandemic affected college towns profoundly and highlighted the complex relationship between universities and their host communities.Xiaodan Pan, Associate Professor, John Molson School of Business, Concordia UniversityIsaac Elking, Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management, University of Houston-DowntownJohn-Patrick Paraskevas, Assistant Professor of Supply Chain Management, University of TennesseeLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1109422019-02-04T11:39:54Z2019-02-04T11:39:54ZPeople diagnosed with cancer often don’t embrace the term ‘survivor’<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/256876/original/file-20190201-42594-n42pau.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Cancer survivors are honored at a Relay for Life Event in Twinsburg, Ohio, in June 2009. Researchers found that many survivors do not like that label.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/twinsburg-oh-june-5-cancer-survivors-31689700?src=Z1oOKF6HjPhB6cxcfi9eiw-1-34">Kenneth Sponsler/Shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>“Cancer survivor” has become a catch-all phrase to refer to living individuals diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives. <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/cancer-survivor/art-20047129">Cancer clinics</a> and clinicians, patient <a href="https://www.myelomacrowd.org/10-things-we-cancer-survivors-want-everyone-to-know/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA7briBRD7ARIsABhX8aB0kaDv47J_YhsGcameNGsIva2Ap3Ha7Dtdm7iKlW8_Fs5L2JV8yMgaAgUQEALw_wcB">advocacy organizations</a> and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/23/nyregion/to-hell-and-back-as-a-cancer-survivor-storm-victim-and-caregiver.html">media reports</a> commonly use the term.</p>
<p>Using cancer survivor as a descriptor is certainly an act with good intentions. After all, people diagnosed with cancer have a diverse array of physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs – and the language of survival can be empowering to many of them. For this reason, institutions that focus on cancer have framed the term broadly. For example, the <a href="https://www.canceradvocacy.org">National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship</a> has <a href="http://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/JCO.2006.09.2700">defined cancer survivor</a> as “any person diagnosed with cancer from the time of initial diagnosis until his or her death.”</p>
<p>Nevertheless, as marketing professors who study how to better serve patients, we were struck by the notion of applying the term “cancer survivor” so broadly that it would even include people who ultimately die of cancer. </p>
<p>Should the same term be used for <a href="http://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/JCO.2012.43.5891">the entire spectrum</a> of living people who have experienced cancer, which represents more than 100 distinct diseases affecting approximately <a href="http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/22/4/561.long">14 million people</a> in the United States? </p>
<h2>A complex issue</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/256878/original/file-20190201-112389-fxdpii.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/256878/original/file-20190201-112389-fxdpii.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/256878/original/file-20190201-112389-fxdpii.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/256878/original/file-20190201-112389-fxdpii.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/256878/original/file-20190201-112389-fxdpii.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/256878/original/file-20190201-112389-fxdpii.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/256878/original/file-20190201-112389-fxdpii.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">A woman receiving radiation therapy for cancer. Treatment for the disease is often so harsh and traumatic that some patients do not want to recall their experiences.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/woman-receiving-radiation-therapy-medical-treatment-1112822285?src=UsDywUkh8ykyJQ2f6JkUQA-1-78">Mark_Kostich/Shutterstock.com</a></span>
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<p>Indeed, the published research on this question reflects its complexity. An analysis of 23 studies of how people diagnosed with cancer view the term “cancer survivor” shows that although many embrace it, others see it as inappropriate. Some of them fear not surviving if <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11764-015-0489-0">cancer recurs</a>; others think the term itself is disrespectful to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2354.2011.01277.x">people who die</a> of cancer or believe the term better fits people with cancers <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0277-9536(08)00180-9">more serious than their own</a>. </p>
<p>Still others simply don’t want to live with the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953608001809?via%3Dihub">“survivor label”</a> or don’t think the term reflects <a href="https://academic.oup.com/gerontologist/article/54/6/1024/563379">who they are</a>. In studies that ask patients to make a discrete yes–no choice about whether they identify as a cancer survivor, the percentage who say “yes” ranges from about 31 percent to 78 percent, depending on the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11764-010-0167-1">type of cancer</a> and other <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11764-007-0005-2">individual factors</a>, with <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3437916/">breast cancer patients</a> generally showing greater affinity for the term than patients with other types of cancer.</p>
<p>Recognizing that forcing a yes–no choice on this delicate question is not ideal, we partnered with Dr. Katie Deming, a radiation oncologist at Kaiser Permanente, and Dr. Jeffrey Landercasper, clinical adjunct professor of surgery at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, to conduct <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07347332.2018.1522411">our own study</a> of how current and former patients perceive the term “cancer survivor.” We measured reactions to the term in three ways: a seven-point scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree, a 100-point allocation exercise from 0 (negative) to 100 (positive) on a continuous scale, and an open-ended question, “What is your personal opinion about the phrase ‘cancer survivor’ and why do you feel as you do?” We analyzed more than 1,400 surveys completed by patients, primarily with breast cancer, who belong to the <a href="https://www.drsusanloveresearch.org/army-women%C2%AE">Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation’s Army of Women</a>, an organization that connects researchers with people who want to participate in breast cancer research. About three-quarters of our respondents were currently undergoing cancer treatment.</p>
<p>Our findings reinforce the concern that motivated our study. Respondents’ average scores for the two quantitative questions were slightly above the scale midpoints, indicating many people are negatively disposed to the term. The open-ended question was especially revealing in documenting not only how respondents regarded the term but also why. Overall, about 60 percent of comments were negative, 29 percent positive, and 11 percent neutral.</p>
<p>Among the negative responses to the term “cancer survivor,” the most common theme had to do with its disregarding the patient’s fear of recurrence. One woman’s response captures the essence of this concern: “I feel like I’m tempting fate when I say I’ve survived it.”</p>
<p>Other women who felt negatively about the phrase made statements such as “I don’t deserve to carry the title proudly because I didn’t ‘suffer’ enough to earn [it]”; “I prefer not to define myself by my cancer diagnosis or status”; and “it erases the experience of those who [still] have or will die of the disease.”</p>
<p>Patients who felt positively about being called a cancer survivor often said they took pride in the accomplishment of surviving cancer – as one woman put it, “of winning the battle against this life-threatening disease.” Another said the term made her feel “empowered, instead of victimized.” Others cited the sense of community conferred by the phrase, specifically a “personal connection to other cancer patients.”</p>
<p>Our statistical analysis comparing respondents with negative perceptions versus positive perceptions of the term indicates that undergoing active cancer treatment, advanced cancer stage, and older age at diagnosis or study participation are associated with less positive perceptions.</p>
<h2>Health care language should do no harm</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/256875/original/file-20190201-75085-jm4e17.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/256875/original/file-20190201-75085-jm4e17.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/256875/original/file-20190201-75085-jm4e17.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/256875/original/file-20190201-75085-jm4e17.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/256875/original/file-20190201-75085-jm4e17.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/256875/original/file-20190201-75085-jm4e17.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/256875/original/file-20190201-75085-jm4e17.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Health care providers should take care to listen to their patients and their needs, especially when it comes to those who have been treated for cancer.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/doctor-examining-female-patient-elbow-pain-126648713?src=juiAHmfuNUNSvaqGYsFA5w-2-5">Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com</a></span>
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<p>The key takeaway from our study, and from other published research on the topic, is that using a single label to describe a diverse population of cancer patients in blanket fashion inevitably leaves a substantial percentage of them feeling unrepresented, perhaps even alienated, by the term – even though many others derive positive benefits from using and hearing it. In short, because the group of people typically described by the term is far from a monolith, a single phrase that is subjective rather than factual is unlikely to be up to the task. The label “cancer survivor” is not based on any specific fact related to a person’s particular treatment or diagnosis; it is <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11764-016-0521-z">plainly subjective</a>.</p>
<p>Language used with and about patients is important and can cause <a href="http://ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/jop.2016.011130">needless distress</a> when used without care. Why not let patients choose the language of their cancer-related identity so that it best reflects their own individual experiences and preferences? Existing research, including our own, suggests that the question is worth considering.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/110942/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A recent study found that many people who have survived a cancer diagnosis do not like to be called ‘survivor.’ As World Cancer Day is observed on Feb. 4, their wishes are something to think about.Leonard L. Berry, University Distinguished Professor of Marketing, Mays Business School; Senior Fellow, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Texas A&M UniversityAndrea Flynn, Associate professor of Marketing, University of San DiegoScott Davis, Assistant professor of Marketing, University of Houston-DowntownLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1038152018-12-13T11:42:57Z2018-12-13T11:42:57ZThink teens need the sex talk? Older adults may need it even more<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/248859/original/file-20181204-34134-12fyywh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A senior couple being intimate. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/senior-couple-love-man-whispering-womans-433458487?src=kmuebj0xZLSn68Y6RsfffQ-1-9">Photographee.eu/Shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Humans are sexual beings. This urge does not stop when the clock strikes 60. Or even 90. </p>
<p>Young adults may deny older relatives are having sex, but sexual activity is a <a href="http://www.norc.org/Research/Projects/Pages/national-social-life-health-and-aging-project.aspx">strong indicator of healthy aging and vitality</a>. In fact, sexual activity is roughly equal to climbing <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1161/cir.0b013e3182447787">two flights of stairs</a>. </p>
<p>Sex education and research use a <a href="https://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/sexual_health/sh_definitions/en/">medical model of sexual health</a> focusing mainly on pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and sexual dysfunctions. However, sexuality is complex. Beyond genitals and Kama Sutra-like positions, it considers sexual and gender identity; sensuality; sexual response; intimacy; and positive and negative ways we use our sexuality. </p>
<p>Our research has explored sexuality among older adults experiencing healthy aging and also <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378512216301840">aging with health challenges</a>. We found that older adults who routinely <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07399332.2017.1329308">talk with health care providers about sexual matters</a> are more likely to be sexually active, despite <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/13685538.2011.641184">sexual dysfunctions or other health issues</a>. These conversations become more important considering <a href="https://journals.lww.com/co-infectiousdiseases/Fulltext/2013/02000/Sexually_transmitted_infections_in_older.12.aspx">high HIV/AIDS and STI rates, even among older adults in the U.S.</a></p>
<h2>Sexuality is complex</h2>
<p>As we age, the <a href="https://agingstats.gov/docs/LatestReport/Older-Americans-2016-Key-Indicators-of-WellBeing.pdf">complex interplay</a> among biological, psychological, cognitive, socioeconomic, religious and even societal factors, contribute to changes in our roles and responsibilities. For example, changes in <a href="https://academic.oup.com/gerontologist/article/56/Suppl_2/S268/2605323">physical</a> or <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK316201/">cognitive</a> health over time can create differences in analytical thinking, mobility, and health care needs. We also experience changes in work, social and family roles and responsibilities over time. Examples include transitions from working to retirement, parenting to empty-nesting, child-rearing to caring for aging parents or partners. </p>
<p>These changes may alter our <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00224499.2018.1437592">sexual desires</a>, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11930-017-0117-2">expression</a> and the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-015-0651-9">frequency</a> in which we engage in sexual activities with partners. For example, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.02012.x">sexual functioning and activity may decrease</a> <a href="https://academic.oup.com/psychsocgerontology/article/64B/suppl_1/i56/554711">over time</a>, but having <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0092623X.2016.1176608">open communication with a partner who is responsive</a> to our needs can increase our feelings of intimacy and desire, and in turn stimulate sexual activity.</p>
<p>Evolving social support and activities may change opportunities for sex and intimacy. Partners may disappear through death or moving away, or appear, such as when meeting new people after moving to an aging community. Over one-third of adults over age 65 use <a href="https://www.secretintelligenceservice.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/PI_2015-10-08_Social-Networking-Usage-2005-2015_FINAL.pdf">social media</a> or internet technologies. These tools may expand sexual interest or activities by increasing access to sexual aids and partners.</p>
<h2>Sex after 60</h2>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/248865/original/file-20181204-34131-1k1n4h2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/248865/original/file-20181204-34131-1k1n4h2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=506&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/248865/original/file-20181204-34131-1k1n4h2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=506&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/248865/original/file-20181204-34131-1k1n4h2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=506&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/248865/original/file-20181204-34131-1k1n4h2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=636&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/248865/original/file-20181204-34131-1k1n4h2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=636&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/248865/original/file-20181204-34131-1k1n4h2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=636&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Cher, 71, seems not to have lost her sex appeal.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/london-jul-16-2018-cher-attends-1136762150?src=TOULFrKG3admDim-6gmjCg-1-14">twocoms/Shutterstock.com</a></span>
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<p>There are <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00224499.2017.1293603">myths, misconceptions and stigma</a> associated with aging and sexuality that hinder older adults’ ability to openly communicate with family, friends and health care professionals. This misinformation limits their access to sexual education, health care, and ultimately, their <a href="https://www.gnjournal.com/article/S0197-4572(08)00266-8/fulltext">sexual rights</a>. </p>
<p>The first myth is that older adults are not as sexually attractive or desirable as their younger counterparts. While an 80-year-old may not be as appealing to an 18-year-old, he or she may be very desirable to peers. More importantly, he or she may feel <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19317611.2016.1227012">more sexually desirable and confident than their younger self</a>.</p>
<p>A second myth is that older adults lack interest in and desire for sexual activity – and that they are somehow asexual. Research from ongoing national surveys support the ideas that <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.02012.x">sexual interest, desires and behaviors can decrease over the life course</a>. For example, among women ages 57 years and older, over 80 percent of participants expressed interest in having sex, but less than two-thirds of women surveyed <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07399332.2017.1329308">perceived sex as “important</a>,” and fewer than half reported having sex in the previous year. However, the reality is that these trends are not universal among older adults. Results from another <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/340/bmj.c810">recent survey</a> found that 39 percent of men and 17 percent of women ages 75 to 85 years are sexually active.</p>
<p>Another myth is that older adults are so medically fragile that sexual activity is dangerous. This is simply not true in many cases. Recent studies have shown that <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/340/bmj.c810.long">healthy older adults are more likely to have sex</a>. Even when chronic illnesses are present, sexual abstinence is not a foregone conclusion. For example, a 2012 American Heart Association <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1161/cir.0b013e3182447787">statement</a> contains evidence-based recommendations about sexual activity among patients with specific cardiovascular conditions. The recommendations generally advise assessing risks with a doctor and disease management, rather than abstention. </p>
<p>There are <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/13685538.2011.641184?journalCode=itam20">well-documented</a> relationships between common medical conditions such as heart disease or diabetes and treatment-related effects on sexual functioning. Yet, older adults and their health care providers are <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/hex.12418">not discussing sexual concerns</a> during routine care. Missed opportunities during visits deprive older adults of access to newer treatments and other best practices in sexual medicine, which can impact their mental and physical health. </p>
<p>A bigger problem may be ageist attitudes among providers and internalized ageism in their patients that may interfere with sex education and application of newer standards. The result is that many believe older adults are uninterested in, or lack desire for, sexual activity and cannot engage in these activities. </p>
<h2>Love has a lot to do with it</h2>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/250326/original/file-20181212-110228-1sue48a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/250326/original/file-20181212-110228-1sue48a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=414&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250326/original/file-20181212-110228-1sue48a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=414&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250326/original/file-20181212-110228-1sue48a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=414&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250326/original/file-20181212-110228-1sue48a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=520&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250326/original/file-20181212-110228-1sue48a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=520&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250326/original/file-20181212-110228-1sue48a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=520&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Tina Turner, who turned 79 in November 2018, at a concert in Prague in 2009.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/APTOPIX-CZECH-REPUBLIC-TINA-TURNER/aef91bad91f341a88b27e74ea669e0ed/3/0">Rene Volfik/AP Photo.</a></span>
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<p>There is <a href="http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/sexual_health/sh_definitions/en/">more to sexuality than physical</a> acts. While much of the existing research focuses on sexual activity and intercourse as predictors or outcomes, most older adults also desire companionship, intimacy and closeness. Non-intercourse-focused activities, such as hand-holding, cuddling and massage, have not been studied as much as intercourse. Yet, there is reason to believe that they can enhance intimacy. Research about physical and mental health outcomes resulting from older adult sexual activity reveals <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afv197">additional benefits</a>, including reduced cognitive decline, loneliness and depression, and improved reported health status, physical functioning, and other aspects of quality of life. </p>
<p>Recent studies also reveal that sexually active older adults are more likely to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2050052116000809">communicate needs and concerns</a> with health care providers and have them addressed. Providing <a href="http://www.smsna.org/V1/about">high-quality sexual health care</a> requires providers to take comprehensive sexual health histories from older patients and <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/hex.12418">engage in direct, positive communication</a> concerning gender and sexual identity, and sexual knowledge, beliefs and practices. </p>
<p>Discussions should promote understanding about sexual risk behaviors for STIs and effects of physical and cognitive or psychological aging on sexual health and sexuality. To maintain or improve older adults’ sexual health and well-being, health care providers should provide safe and welcoming environments for patient-provider collaboration, resources and <a href="https://www.aasect.org/about/about">interdisciplinary referrals</a> to clinical social workers, sex therapists, physical therapists and other allied health specialties.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/103815/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Studies confirm what many older adults already know: They are sexual. And, studies also suggest that sex is good for them. But health care providers are reluctant to talk to them about the risks.Heather Honoré Goltz, Associate Professor, Social Work, University of Houston-DowntownMatthew Lee Smith, Co-Director of Texas A&M Center for Population Health and Aging, Texas A&M UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/269362014-05-20T05:15:28Z2014-05-20T05:15:28ZChina clamps down on bear farms and shark fins as animal welfare attitudes shift<p>Chinese wildlife faces a serious survival crisis, but the tide seems to be turning in support for protecting endangered species there. China’s top legislative body has passed a new “interpretation” of their criminal law that will allow authorities to jail people who knowingly eat products made from rare wild animals. They could potentially face sentences of more than ten years.</p>
<p>Chinese consumption of wildlife has long been the target of external criticism. An explosion in wealth has created a swelling middle class with a voracious appetite for valuables, collectibles, luxury goods and exotic foods. Eating endangered species has become a status symbol, with government officials some of the main culprits. Now, support is growing within China against the way wildlife is treated and consumed.</p>
<h2>Traditional attitudes</h2>
<p>Chinese people have a reputation for eating anything with four legs that’s not a table. But the culinary sub-culture of eating all manner of creatures that was traditionally limited to South China and practised at times of extreme food scarcity, became a national passion with the country’s economic boom.</p>
<p>Traditional Chinese medicine has been used to justify a host of practices that exploit endangered animals in the wild and in captivity. Although China removed rhino horns and tiger parts from the active list of traditional ingredients in 1993, the belief in their “unparalleled healing power” remains alive among practitioners and members of the Chinese scientific community. Experiments in rhino farming and the controversial tiger farming can only sustain the belief in the unique medicinal effects of rhino horns and tiger bones.</p>
<p>Braised tiger meat, stewed monkey legs and bear paws, shredded pangolin, snake and turtle soup, and barbecued crocodile meat are sending traders to places as far as Russian Siberia, disputed waters of the South China Sea, North America, and the African Continent. Not only does Chinese wildlife face a serious survival crisis as a result, this appetite for endangered animals is a threat to wildlife everywhere.</p>
<h2>Abused resource</h2>
<p>China’s wildlife policy is contradictory. It adopted the Wildlife Protection Law in 1988. <a href="http://cin.sagepub.com/content/21/1/71.short">To critics</a>, the law is more resource management legislation than a wildlife protection act as wildlife is designated as a natural resource. This places the focus on how it can best serve human consumption.</p>
<p>In the context of the national obsession with economic growth, wildlife has become an abused resource. At a local level, catering businesses that serve exotic foods and farming operations that brutalise captive wildlife animals are protected by local officials. The owner of a major bear farm in Northeast China was showered with all kinds of honours. He was made a deputy to the provincial people’s congress, the highest honour a business person can receive from the government.</p>
<p>The result is that more species have become endangered since the Wildlife Protection Law’s adoption and businesses exploiting endangered animals have thrived, seemingly with the law’s endorsement. Plus, trade across provinces has developed and now forms part of an international operation.</p>
<h2>Changing attitudes</h2>
<p>But China is changing and the new interpretation of China’s criminal law is a political step that reflects changing attitudes to the treatment of animals. To China’s increasingly vocal animal activists and members of its “one-child” generation, the exploitation of wildlife for human benefits is not only selfish and short-sighted, but also self-destructive.</p>
<p>Bear farming is one example where public opinion has experienced a sea change. In the early 1990s, bear farming was praised by the government, in the media, and in all other official propaganda programs as a production that saves wild bears, glorifies Chinese culture, serves the interest of public health, and contributes to poverty reduction and economic growth. Today, bear farming is condemned by the media and the public in general, largely as a result of efforts by the Animals Asia Foundation’s <a href="https://www.animalsasia.org//intl/our-work/end-bear-bile-farming/what-we-do/bear-sanctuaries/china-bear-sanctuary/china-bear-sanctuary.html">China Bear Rescue campaign</a>.</p>
<p>The latest policy can also be seen as an important legal measure to support President Xi Jinping’s crackdown against extravagant consumption by government officials. Since the adoption of his austerity policy, shark fin consumption in the last Chinese New Year dropped significantly. Soon after the policy’s release, a provincial legislator was dismissed for possessing 33 ivory tusks and is under criminal investigation.</p>
<p>A wider animal protection movement is also gathering momentum and challenging patterns of eating that are promoted by business interests. It was response to public pressure that made the government halt the introduction of American rodeos and Spanish bull-fighting to the domestic Chinese audience. It was also public pressure that brought about the elimination of shark fin from official catering events.</p>
<p>Development in China is increasingly seen not just in economic terms, but in an appreciation for quality of life and a desire for the government to take a moral lead. Wildlife protection is a crucial component of this. As a rising superpower, the Chinese government’s actions for wildlife protection will not only enhance its legitimacy domestically, but internationally too.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/26936/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Peter Li is China Policy Specialist for Humane Society International.</span></em></p>Chinese wildlife faces a serious survival crisis, but the tide seems to be turning in support for protecting endangered species there. China’s top legislative body has passed a new “interpretation” of…Peter Li, Associate Professor of East Asian Politics, University of Houston-DowntownLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.