STI Rates Up in Older People
In the UK, most people tend to associate sexually transmitted infections with irresponsible teenagers and drunken students. But while the statistics certainly support this stereotype to some degree (in this 2016 Public Health England report, 16 to 24-year-olds were found to be most at risk for chlamydia, genital herpes and genital warts), it’s worth bearing in mind that STIs affect every age category. In fact, when it comes to gonorrhoea and syphilis, men over the age of 25 seem to be most at risk.
In perhaps the most surprising news of all, sexually transmitted infections are actually on the rise amongst the oldest age categories. In the last decade, STI diagnoses in people aged between 50 and 70 have risen by a third. To get more specific with the numbers, 2010 saw sexual health clinics recording 11,366 new infections in this age group; by 2014 that number had risen to 15,726.
It’s hard to pin down exactly why we’re currently seeing this trend, but there are a few factors to consider.
Safe Sex Campaigns
The first thing to think about is the fact that safe sex campaigns tend to be targeted towards young people. As a result, the average 18-year-old may well know more about the STI symptoms and where to get tested than the average 62-year-old. In fact, in a study by the Office for National Statistics carried out between 2008 and 2009, it was found that only 19% of men aged 50-69 could correctly answer a series of questions about chlamydia symptoms (as opposed to 37% of men aged 30-34).
Consider too that a lot of sexual education material can be found online, and the fact that youngsters tend to be more proficient with computers and the internet than their parents and grandparents.
Divorce rates
Another factor in rising STI rates amongst older people is divorce. As shown by another Office for National Statistics study, the average age at which people are getting divorced has risen in the UK in recent years – in 2013, the average age for a man to get divorced was 45. But how does that relate to STI rates?
Well, following a divorce, it’s common for newly single people to begin dating and enjoying casual sex. But after many years of marriage, divorced men and women who may be used to having unprotected sex may find it difficult to readjust and start taking precautions again.
Women in the 50 - 70 age bracket may also be more careless when it comes to sex if they have been through the menopause. When the risk of pregnancy is taken out of the equation, it can be tempting to forgo condoms – despite the threat of STIs.
Overcoming the Stigma
When it comes to sex, older people may also feel more reluctance in talking to their doctor, or getting advice about doing things safely. They may even feel embarrassed walking into a pharmacy to buy condoms, particularly if they have not done so in a long while.
The important thing to remember is that the consequences of unprotected sex can be far worse than the slight embarrassment of getting advice from your GP or pharmacist. This is also the case when it comes to getting tested and treated properly.
If you have engaged in unprotected sex and you aren’t sure that your sexual partner or partners were STI-free, you should get tested. You can do this for free by visiting an NHS clinic, or by ordering a home test kit through a private service like The STI Clinic (click here to learn more about our Full STI Screen).
It’s also important to get an STI test if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:
- pain or a burning sensation when urinating
- unusual discharge from the penis or vagina
- fleshy growths around the genitals or anus
- sore red blisters around the genitals or anus
- in women, irregular bleeding, heavy periods, pain in the abdomen or pain during sex
- in men, pain or tenderness in the testicles
Be aware that this is not an exhaustive list of STI symptoms, and that many infections are initially symptomless, so if you think you may have been exposed to something, you should get tested regardless.