Sex life satisfaction in Sub-Saharan Africa surprise researchers; People sexually happy even in least-developed countries

A Baylor University research, to be presented at the 111th Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association (ASA), has revealed that Sub-Saharan Africans are very satisfied with their sex lives. About 18 percent of the respondents rated their sex lives a perfect 10 out of 10. Traditionally, only highly developed countries have been considered for sex life satisfaction research.

This study’s findings are significant as past research has shown sexual satisfaction to be associated with general well-being including a country’s overall wealth. However, Sub-Saharan Africa has about a billion people and consists of some of the least-developed countries in the world. The findings also provide a comparison for patterns in developed parts of the world such as United States and Europe.

Sex life satisfaction was not linked to country-level variables. On the contrast, individual level characteristics such as having more education, higher income and a “domestic partner” or spouse were found to be associated with greater sexual satisfaction.

Postdoctoral scholar in Baylor's Institute for Studies of Religion and a lecturer of sociology in Baylor's College of Arts & Sciences and study author, Stephen Cranney, said that the study did not find any evidence that concern about HIV or AIDS was related to sex life satisfaction.

“There was the assumption by most researchers that higher gender equality in a marriage would lead to more sexual satisfaction overall. My study found that in Sub-Saharan Africa, the level of gender equality in a marriage wasn't related to sexual satisfaction for either the man or the woman,” Cranney said in a statement regarding the issue of gender equality.

Higher incomes of person may purchase more health, cleanliness and privacy. The study found a link between higher income and one deserving more private space. In two of the four sub-regions, West and East Africa, men were found to be more satisfied with their sex lives than women while in other sub-regions, men and women were equally satisfied.

Peak sexual satisfaction was found in those in their late 20s and through the 30s. Religiosity and perception about the HIV/AIDS problem were not found to be related to sexual satisfaction.