Middle-aged
adults face a greater risk of catching sexually transmitted infections than ever before -- because society is unwilling to talk about older people having sex, a new study has found. Negative attitudes toward sexual health and limited knowledge of the needs of over-45s mean some older people are unaware of the dangers of unprotected sex, researchers from the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands have warned.
Experts associated with the SHIFT sexual health initiative surveyed 800 adults across the south coast of England and northern regions of Belgium and the Netherlands -- with some 200 respondents identified as facing socioeconomic disadvantage.
Almost 80% of respondents in the general population group were aged between 45 and 65, while 58% of those considered socioeconomically disadvantaged were aged 45-54.
Researchers said "major changes" in sexual behavior in recent decades have seen rising numbers of sexually active older people -- but many barely consider the possibility of STIs.
