In response to an increase in sexually transmitted infections among older adults, a presentation at the upcoming European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases next month will feature a sexual health education session for baby boomers.
Justyna Kowalska, a researcher from the Medical University of Warsaw, Hospital for Infectious Diseases in Warsaw, Poland, said in a statement released Wednesday that conversations around sexual health and older adults need to be normalized.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rates of chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea in Americans aged 55 or more years has more than doubled in the past decade. For example, gonorrhea among those aged 55 to 64 years soared from approximately 15 cases per 100,000 people in 2015 to 57 cases per 100,000 people in 2019.
England has similar trends, seeing an 18% increase in new sexually transmitted infections in people aged more than 45 years from 2015 to 2019. China, Korea, Kenya, and Botswana report increases in STIs among older people as well.
“Rising divorce rates, forgoing condoms as there is no risk of pregnancy, the availability of drugs for sexual dysfunction, the large number of older adults living together in retirement communities, and the increased use of dating apps are likely to have contributed to the growing incidence of STIs in the over 50s”, Kowalska siad. “These data likely underestimate the true extent of the problem as limited access to sexual health services for the over 50s, and trying to avoid the stigma and embarrassment both on the part of older people and healthcare professionals, is leading to this age group not seeking help for STIs.”
Misconceptions also surround sexuality and sexual activity in older adults, she added.
“People do not become asexual with age. In fact, with preventive medicine and improved lifestyles, people are enjoying a healthy life and sex life for longer,” Kowalska said.
Evidence shows that older men especially have higher levels of sexual desire, have sex more often and have more sexual partners compared with women, the statement said.
“These findings indicate that sexual risk taking is common among older adults, particularly men,” Kowalska said. “Given that the number of people aged 60 years and older is set to double worldwide by 2050 and the widespread availability of drugs to enhance sexual activity, health professionals must be proactive in discussing sexual concerns and making sexual health a routine part of general healthcare for older adults.”
