Today, teenagers in rich countries are Drink less That never before. They are also more likely to be addicted to their smartphones than to hard drugs. But his parents, who experienced with drugs, sex and rock & roll, are less likely to give up their old habits.
During the last decade, infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis More to duplicate In people over 55 years. In the United States, cases of clamidia between adults 65 years of age or older They have tripled Since 2010. Gonorrhea has increased six times. And the syphilis rose almost ten times.
You are never too old for an STI (sexually transmitted infection). And yet, conversation about sex and older adults remain silent, if not completely absent.
A viral problem flying under radar
The increase in STIs can be explained in part through biology. People live more and remain healthier. Advances in medicine, from hormonal replacement therapy to drugs such as Viagra, have extended not only life expectancy but also sexual longevity. People do not become asexual with age. Sexual activity is an important part of health and well -being, and correlates with a greater enjoyment of life for older adults.
“The first erroneous idea is that older adults are not sexually active or interested in sex, so there is no reason to ask them about their sexual health,” writes the gerontologist Janie Steckenrider of the Loyola Marymount University. “Although the frequency of sexual activity tends to decrease with age, older adults are still sexually active. In a study in England, 86% of men and 60% of women from 60 to 69 reported having been sexually active, as well as 59% of men and 34% of women from 70 to 79 years, and 31% of men and 14% of women of 80 years or older.”
But there are other factors at stake, says Professor Justyna Kowalska at the University of Medicine of Warsaw. The way in which people over 50 interact with each other and with technology lead them more and more to playful situations.
“The increase in divorce rates, the condoms that renounce since 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 greatest use of appointment applications is likely to have contributed to the growing incidence of ITS in those over 50,” explains Professor Kowalska.
Ironically, the lack of sex education It is also a problem. Sexual habits of many over 50 are often frightening. Many older adults enter relationships without adequate knowledge or precautions. Condones are rarely used. TO 2015 study He discovered that only 3% of adults over 60 had used condoms in the last year. Pregnancy is not a concern, so protection is often ignored.
Communication breakdown
The result is that many infections go unnoticed, or not treated. Some STIs do not present symptoms. Others imitate the common conditions related to age. That delay in diagnosis can allow infections such as syphilis or HPV to cause more serious damage.
Doctors also play a role in this problem, or rather, they don’t.
Many doctors simply do not ask older patients about sex. Patients, in turn, often do not mention it, either by shame or belief that it is irrelevant. Even people who suspect that they often avoid mentioning it.
“It is likely that these data will underestimate the true scope of the problem, since limited access to sexual health services for those over 50, and try to avoid stigma and shame both by the elderly and for health professionals, is leading to this age group not seeking help for STIs.”
“Sexual health campaigns give the impression that condoms and concerns about STIs only apply to young people,” said Professor Kowalska. “That needs to change.”
This invisibility has consequences. It is not, STIs can cause long -term health problems, from infertility to certain cancers. They can also pass without knowing the partners.
The first step: talk about it
Experts say there is an urgent need for Education programs adapted to older adults – Many of which they never received formal sex education. These campaigns should be based on community centers, clinics and even homes for older people where you can easily and without stigma.
Doctors can also help addressing these problems with their patients.
“Despite a possible sense of discomfort or even concerns of offending or shame their older patients, doctors should be proactive to discuss sexual concerns and make sexual health part of routine medical care,” writes Steckenrider.
In many ways, the Baby Boomer generation is harvesting the rewards of longevity medicine and social progress. But as they redefine what it means to age, they also find the risks that their doctors, and society does not like to face. Sexual health does not retire at 65.
If we can speak openly about cholesterol and colonoscopias, there is no reason why we cannot talk about condoms and clamidia as well. The solution begins, as it usually does, with a little less silence, and much more honesty.
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