In fact, 40% of adults 65-80 years old About 10% of people are sexually active Over 90 years old However, it should be noted that the latter figure is based on a study limited to one municipality in Sweden.
But sexually transmitted diseases spare no one. Very few people I’ve ever seen who tested positive for sexually transmitted infections were expecting the results. And from 2007 to 2017, the number of STD infections among adults 65 and older more than doubled her rate.
That’s why it’s important to get tested and always use condoms.The condom is not used much The risk of sexually transmitted infections is reduced, but not eliminated, among older adults.
Why are the number of sexually transmitted diseases increasing among the elderly?
Researchers speculate that cases of sexually transmitted diseases are increasing simply because older people are having more sex than past generations.
One factor is how people meet and develop relationships with each other. This also includes web- or app-based dating services, which increasingly attract older adults.
There’s also a thriving market for devices and medicines that address sexual health issues, and not just for men. In the past few years, the Food and Drug Administration has approved more treatments for postmenopausal women who have trouble having sex because of vaginal dryness or pain.
All of this may influence how often older adults have sex and subsequently contract sexually transmitted infections. For example, after the introduction of sildenafil, known by the brand name Viagra, in 1998, the risk of sexually transmitted diseases increased. increased significantly Among men who lost their husbands.
How do I know if I need an STD test?
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force advises all women under the age of 24 to be regularly tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia. After that, you should also get tested if you have a new sexual partner or are in any other situation that increases your risk. Everyone should take her HIV test at least once. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that men who have sex with men be tested for syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV at least once a year.
However, there is considerable leeway for other groups, and much of the STD testing is left to common sense.
- Have a new partner? I will check it.
- Do you have more than one recent partner? Be sure to ask.
- You’ve only had one long-term partner before and now you’ve got a new partner? You know me. If it were me, I’d check.
- Did you find out your partner is cheating? You know the drill (and are truly sorry).
- Is it just oral sex or anal sex? You can still get an STD. Shall we check?
In other words, if you’re thinking about getting tested, get it now.
What STDs should I be tested for?
Chlamydia and gonorrhea are two typical STDs that have increased in recent years among older adults.there were More than 2,000 items In 2017, each percentage increased among people aged 65 and older. Although rare, syphilis is also increasing in this population, with the majority of people developing syphilis in 2018. diagnosed with HIV He was over 50 years old.
There are also diseases that get less attention, such as trichomoniasis and bacterial vaginosis (the latter is not considered an STD at all, but is associated with sex). Both can cause women to develop a distinctive “fishy” odor of vaginal discharge. Your personal history also plays an important role, so talk to your health care provider about which sexually transmitted diseases you should be tested for.
What STD symptoms should I be aware of?
Sure, painful ulcers on the genitals immediately raise red flags, but most people with sexually transmitted infections actually have no symptoms. If you have symptoms such as burning when urinating, itching, or an unusual discharge, ask your health care provider about the possibility of a sexually transmitted infection before immediately assuming that you have a urinary tract infection or yeast infection. Please consider.
Also, keep in mind the following points:
- Most people newly infected with HIV experience a short period of flu-like symptoms about 2 to 4 weeks after infection. After that, people tend to feel completely normal for several years until their CD4 cells (important immune cells in the body destroyed by HIV) drop enough to require medical attention.
- Chlamydia is known as the “silent infection.” as little as possible About 5 percent of women and 10 percent of men develop symptoms. Most men and women gonorrhea Similarly, there are no symptoms.
- In the first stage of syphilis infection, painless round genital pain You can infect others you come into contact with.These scars are often less stand out As you might imagine (they can be inside the skin folds and can be as small as a few millimeters). After that, the incubation period for syphilis can last for years without any symptoms.
Who is most at risk for STDs?
To be clear, the number of sexually transmitted infections among older adults is increasing, but it’s still much lower than it is among older teens and adults in their 20s. However, everyone should take precautions and get tested properly, regardless of age.
Regardless of age, men who have sex with men, people who use intravenous drugs, and people with a history of another sexually transmitted disease are all at increased risk.a study A professor at Vanderbilt University, where I went to medical school, recently discovered something I had long observed as a student. That is, compared to any other group, Black women lose the most life years to HIV (and 91% of new HIV infections among Black women nationwide are lost to HIV). has been reported from heterosexual contact).
There is another notable contradiction within the country. The southern states account for about half of the population. new HIV infection Every year. these states, It’s not a coincidenceIt also has the highest poverty rate in the nation and tends to focus on abstinence-based sex education, which has been shown to be ineffective at preventing sexually transmitted diseases.
What we want patients to know
I never like telling someone I have a disease like chlamydia. But the next thing I can say is that most STDs are completely curable with medicine, and for those that cannot be cured, like HIV, there are good treatments. You can only win by knowing.