STDs Rise Sharply Among Older Americans

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that infections of sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) among older Americans have steeply risen in the past five years, reports Everyday Health . This indicates that both the baby boomer and silent generations have as critical a need to practice safe sex as younger generations. The Seattle University College of Nursing's Beverly K. Johnson says these findings also debunk the myth of less sexual activity in older age. University of Chicago Medicine Professor Stacy Tessler Lindau cites factors behind the rising numbers. Among them is erectile dysfunction drugs giving older men more vitality, while other drugs are offering similar benefits to women. Also contributing is a general lack of understanding in the older population about how STDs can spread. Older adults' greater susceptibility to STD infections also can be explained by weaker immune systems due to extended longevity, and thinning of vaginal tissues in menopausal women.