Venereal Disease On the Rise in Seniors

According to the CDC, cases of syphilis and chlamydia are on the rise in senior citizens in the U.S.A.

Why?  Seniors are living longer and healthier lives, they are more active in many ways.  And along with a more active lifestyles, they have access to erectile dysfunction drugs.

Syphilis cases have risen 52% and chlamydia cases have risen 32% since 2007.

Many post-menopausal women think that condom use is unimportant because pregnancy is not an issue.  But older people have weaker immune systems and skin and tissues become thinner and more apt to tear easily, exposing the blood to any pathogens.

Medicare offers free screening for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and provides low-cost treatment for those who test positively for an STD.   Doctors and Nurses should include discussing STDs with seniors as part of their healthcare and wellness visits.  Education is key to building awareness and taking wise precautions is key to reducing the number of new cases.