Question

A review of the scholarly literature will uncover a prevalence of risky sexual behaviors and a high rate of sexually transmitted infections in individuals over 60 years of age.

For this assignment, it is your responsibility to investigate the phenomenon of increased sexually transmitted infections, and you must provide at least 3 well-researched reasons why the elderly are at an increased risk of contracting an STI than their younger counterparts. And finally, provide at least 2 possible solutions to quell this problem.

Answer 1

Yes, there is no doubt that the older generation are at an increased risk of contracting an STI than their younger counterparts. This is because of the following reasons -

• There is a misconception that with age people are less likely to be sexually active. This leads to lack of timely screening for sexual problems in older population and many a times a STI goes unnoticed and left untreated for years causing complications at the later stages.
• Once the older females reaches the menopausestage of their life, the tendency of the female to secrete vaginal thin and natural lubrication reduces which raises the chances of micro tears and sexual transmission.
• One very prominant factor responsible for this is the lack of sex-education that older general got in their times. This leads to the result that older population would less likely use condom as they believe that are not vulnerable to thet risk of STDs.
• The last and the most important factor responsible is the declining of the immune system with age in humans making them more vulnerable to any type of infectons including STIs.

2 possible solutions to quell this problem are as follows -

• The most essential solution to quell this problem is appropriate education to older people about the risk of STDs. Also, each older individual should be educated about safer sex and the related risk factors during intercoarse personally by their caregivers.
• Another effective solution could be proper screening methods for overall population which are usually bend towards younger generation only. Also, as PCP (Primary Care Physicians) spend most of the times with older patient, they can have a better idea of their sexual behaviors and hence they can play an important role in preventing these cases by intervening.