By Morgan Rousseau
Published July 7, 2010
Orginal link to Examiner.com
A new report says the rate of sexually transmitted diseases in older men taking erectile dysfunctions drugs like Viagra is twice as high as men not taking the medications. But doctors say that for men in both groups, the number of STDs is soaring higher than ever before.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were more than six new cases of STDs per 10,000 men over 40 years of age in 2008, which is up almost 50 percent since 1996.
Younger adults still have far more STDs than older adults, but the numbers are growing at a far higher rate in elders. The reason for this development is not yet understood, but more divorces and better health may be contributing to a boost in sexual activity among older people.
The issue of unprotected sex is obviously a problem for senior-aged people who are not accustomed to using condoms. Researchers say that 50-year olds are six times less likely to use a condom than men in their 20s.
Dr. Anupam B. Jena of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston told Reuters, “We are typically unaccustomed to practice safe sex over the age of 50, because the risk of pregnancy is eliminated.”
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