Age UK is calling for an end to the pervasive stigma surrounding sex and intimacy in later life, as new figures reveal a concerning rise in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among older people across the UK. The charity, in collaboration with a Manchester-based coalition, has launched a social media campaign to tackle negative stereotypes and promote open discussions about sexual health at all ages.
The campaign, developed by the 'Sexual Health of Older People' (SHOP) working group, ran for five days, coinciding with International Older People's Day. It aimed to highlight the diversity of sexual desire in later life and underscore that anyone, regardless of age, can contract STIs. Key themes addressed included the importance of sexual safety, the necessity of using protection, and the need for age-appropriate access to healthcare services.
Statistics from 2018 show a stark increase in STI diagnoses within older demographics. Men aged 45-64 received 23,943 new diagnoses, marking an 18% rise since 2014. Women in the same age bracket saw 8,837 diagnoses, a 4% increase over the same period. More significantly, diagnoses among both men and women aged 65 and over surged by 23% between 2014 and 2018, contrasting with a 7.3% reduction in diagnoses for men aged 20-24.
These figures underscore a growing disparity in sexual health outcomes between older and younger men, and between older men and older women. Age UK stresses that while sex in later life is often considered a taboo subject, sexual relationships offer significant physical, mental, and emotional health benefits regardless of age. Open communication about sex is deemed essential for preventing STIs and maintaining overall wellbeing.
Caroline Abrahams, Age UK's Charity Director, emphasised that sex remains important for many well into old age, and the prevailing taboo puts sexually active older people at unnecessary risk. She urged health professionals to engage in open discussions about sexual health with older patients, avoiding assumptions that sex becomes irrelevant with age. Public health messages, she added, must be inclusive and reflect the reality that sex is a part of many people's later lives.