A recent survey has revealed that over 21 per cent of over 50s have had more than one sexual partner, and yet, 65 per cent admitted that they never use condoms.
Consequently, it is unsurprising that sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are on the rise in people aged over 50.
According to data published from Public Health England, there has been double the number of diagnoses of gonorrhoea in people aged between 45 and 64 since 2013.
Since 2013 the number of people aged between 45 and 64 being diagnosed with gonorrhoea has almost doubled.
Other common diagnoses include, chlamydia, which over the past five years has increased by 23 per cent and syphilis has shot up from 774 to 1,772.
EuroClinix surveyed 2,000 UK adults aged between 18 and 64 about their sexual habits.
With regards to protection, figures found that the oldest participants use condoms the least, this could perhaps be due to the risk of pregnancy being out the equation.
Karin O’Sullivan, Clinical Lead at sexual health charity, Family Planning Association, said: “Many older people don’t think safer sex really applies to them. If you’re coming out of a long-term relationship it may not be something you’ve had to think about for years. Because contraception is no longer needed for people over 55, they might not necessarily think about using condoms.
“There also isn’t that much in the way of sexual health information and services for people in this age group – campaigns and services tend to be targeted very much at younger age groups.
Mrs O’Sullivan added: “Sex is something people of any age can find difficult to talk about and this can be particularly true for older age groups. Worries about confidentiality may also stop them from going to clinics to discuss any worries.”
Despite this, a fifth of all respondents identified as polyamorous and nearly 20 per cent of 45-54 year-olds said they were confident about their sexual abilities, making them the most confident of all the age groups.
Hence why these findings could provide an explanation as to why this age group have a more relaxed attitude towards safe sex.
Here at Harrow Health Care, we offer a series of Sexual Health Screening packages. For further information click here https://harrowhealthcare.co.uk/our-services/sexual-health/
