Sierra Morrison | Rowan Medicine

Chlamydia. Gonorrhea. Syphilis. While no one wants to hear that they have a sexually transmitted disease (STD), they are becoming more common among those aged 65 and older.

According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between the years 2012 and 2016, the reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis all increased among males aged 65 years and older. During that same time span, women of the same age group experienced an increase in the number of reported cases of gonorrhea.

While the actual number of cases was low – fewer than seven individuals per 100,000 population in any category – for some conditions, the rise was dramatic. For example, among men in this age group, the number of reported cases for gonorrhea more than doubled from 2.9 per 100,000 to 6.7 per 100,000.

Dr. Terrie Ginsberg, a geriatrician with Rowan Medicine’s New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging, explains some reasons why rates of sexually transmitted diseases are rising in those aged 65 and older.

“There is an assumption that sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise in the aging population because there is no fear of pregnancy, the elderly are ignorant about STDs and the patients do not feel comfortable talking to their doctor about sex,” said Ginsberg.

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Left untreated, STDs can lead to an array of serious medical conditions, including pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic pain and, in the case of syphilis, paralysis, difficulty coordinating muscle movements, dementia, and death.

While not strictly an STD, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which is the virus that can lead to AIDS, is also on the rise among older adults. The CDC estimates that more than one-quarter of all those living with diagnosed or undiagnosed HIV infections are age 55 years or older.

There are a number of reasons why older adults are experiencing an increased incidence in these conditions. People today are living longer and, due to better health, are remaining sexually active into their later years. At the same time, older adults who, due to divorce or death of a spouse, are not concerned about pregnancy and may not use condoms during sex.

Many older adults may not want to discuss their sexual activity with their physicians and physicians may not think to ask. But, for Dr. Ginsberg, education is key to fewer cases of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV.

“I discuss condoms as well as abstinence with my patients,” she said. “I remind them, too, that sexuality has many forms of expression beyond intercourse.”