Educating the Aging Population on Sexual Health

By Elisabeth Espinoza

Sexual activity and sexual health within the aging population is a topic that is widely disregarded in the United States leaving this population vulnerable to not only stigmatization but to a variety of sexual health related concerns. More than half of those aged 57 to 85 years old are sexually active and yet sexuality and sexual health for the aging population is largely misrepresented or misunderstood. Older individuals are particularly at risk for sexual health problems due to lack of prevention education geared towards the aging population and their general lack of knowledge regarding their risk behaviors.

The Center for Disease Control contends that individuals aged 50 years and older possess similar HIV risk factors as the younger population but are largely unaware of their own risk. In 2013, individuals 50 years and older accounted for 21 percent or 8,575 of new HIV diagnoses in the United States. Also, due to increased longevity it is estimated that by the year 2030, nearly 71 million people in the United States will be 65 years or older, comprising 20 percent of the population. The rising number of STI’s amongst those aged 50 years and older, as well as a rapidly growing aging population, illustrates the urgency of immediate intervention.

Access to sexual health education specifically geared towards the aging population is an area widely lacking in current policy advocacy intervention. Sexual health education includes—but is not limited to—reproductive health, consent, relationships, sexual orientation, self-esteem, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS, testing and prevention. While policy advocacy for sexual health education targeting youth has been largely successful in prevention and early intervention of STIs there is an age-generic standard in policy that leaves the aging population vulnerable.