Kumar Bhushan, Kaushal Ishita, Narayanan B, Narang Tarun
Department of Dermatology, Shalby Hospital, Mohali, Punjab, India.
Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
Indian J Sex Transm Dis AIDS. 2025 Jan-Jun;46(1):16-21. doi: 10.4103/ijstd.ijstd_108_24. Epub 2025 Jun 9.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among the elderly are an underrecognized yet growing public health concern. This review explores the epidemiological trends, risk factors, and healthcare barriers contributing to STI burden in the elderly population. Factors such as physiological changes, low condom use, limited sexual health education, and under-recognition by healthcare providers heighten vulnerability in this group. Stigma and discomfort around sexual health discussions further impede prevention and timely diagnosis. The review also examines implications of immunosenescence, polypharmacy, and comorbidities on STI susceptibility and outcomes. Older adults are often overlooked in public health interventions for such infections. Hence, addressing this gap requires age-inclusive sexual health policies, tailored screening guidelines, and greater awareness among clinicians and the public.
老年人中的性传播感染（STIs）是一个未得到充分认识但日益引起公共卫生关注的问题。本综述探讨了导致老年人群中性传播感染负担的流行病学趋势、风险因素和医疗保健障碍。生理变化、避孕套使用率低、性健康教育有限以及医疗保健提供者认识不足等因素增加了该群体的易感性。围绕性健康讨论的耻辱感和不适感进一步阻碍了预防和及时诊断。该综述还研究了免疫衰老、多种药物治疗和合并症对性传播感染易感性和结果的影响。在针对此类感染的公共卫生干预措施中，老年人常常被忽视。因此，要弥补这一差距，需要制定涵盖各年龄段的性健康政策、量身定制的筛查指南，并提高临床医生和公众的认识。
