Middle-aged men and women need to be more careful, according to new health data. Because apparently, STIs are on the rise amongst that group.
New statistics from Public Health England and Age UK states that sexually transmitted infections are now more common among middle-aged men than teenagers. Specifically, men aged 45 to 64 are over 10% more likely to test positive for gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis, than teenagers aged 13 to 19. Men in the 45 to 64 age bracket were also accounted for 23,042 cases of STIs in 2018. This is an 18 percent rise since 2014.
But middle-aged men weren’t the only ones involved in this new data. The new UK statistics also found that diagnoses were up by 23 percent for citizens 65 years and over since last checked in 2014. In addition, men were more significantly impacted in this age bracket as 2,108 of new STI cases concerning people 65 and over belonged to men. But, 472 women were also documented.
This new data was released as part of a social media campaign to spotlight the risk of STIs among all age groups. And possibly to demystify that belief that elders were impervious to the problem. Age UK then announced the need to improve access to health services for middle-aged people.
Caroline Abrahams, Age UK’s charity director, said:
“Sex continues to be important for many of us well into old age, but for some reason the whole topic remains taboo in some circles. This is a shame and it also means that sexually active older people are at greater risk of STIs than they need to be or ought to be.”
She then added, “Public health messages around sexual health and STI prevention also need to recognise the reality that sex is a part of many people’s later lives and aim to be inclusive of people of all ages.”
Sources: Metro, Homecare.co.uk
