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titleSTI: your risk at any age

subject date18-03-2022

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caption@P@ 1 52 SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTION RATES ARE RISING IN AUSTRALIAN WOMEN OVER 40. SO HOW CAN WE PROTECT OURSELVES? SARAH MARINOS INVESTIGATES PHOTOGRAPHY GETTY IMAGES STI: your risk at any age B lame it on internet dating. Or the social changes that have made it more acceptable for mature-aged Australians to re-partner after divorce or the death of a spouse. A survey by internet dating service RSVP and Family Planning NSW of mostly women aged 40-plus found 41.5 per cent met a new sexual partner via the internet in the previous 12 months. The 2012 study also found Australians aged 51 and over are more likely to have sex on a rst date. A mistaken belief that STIs are something that a ect the younger generation, or embarrassment about discussing safe sex also partly explain the rise in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in women aged in their 40s and beyond. “While the bulk of STIs are in young people, the rates are increasing in older people,” says Dr Deborah Bateson, medical director at Family Planning NSW. “Some of this is due to increased testing for STIs but it is also due to changes in the patterns of relationships. We know people are meeting new partners at older ages. That’s a great thing – but we are seeing more STIs as a result.” In 2008, the UNSW’s Kirby Institute found that 1121 women aged 40-plus were diagnosed with chlamydia. By 2012 that gure had risen by 44 per cent. Gonorrhoea cases in women of the same age also rose by 80 per cent during this time. Mature-aged women are also presenting at clinics with herpes. The herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV2) HEAR DR ELIZABETH FARRELL EXPLAIN WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SAFE SEX. Use the free viewa app and scan your device over this page to watch the video. gm1214stip52 - 52 2014-10-17T16:59:23+11:00

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titleSTI: your risk at any age

subject date18-03-2022

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caption@P@ 1 53 PHOTOGRAPHY GETTY IMAGES most commonly infects the genitals and anal areas and women are twice as likely as men to get it. “The number of people with herpes rises with age because the risk increases the more partners you have had. Once you’ve caught herpes, it comes back,” says Professor Christopher Fairley from Melbourne Sexual Health Centre. About nine per cent of people living with HIV in Australia are female and this number is also rising – most often this is due to women having had sex with partners from places with high HIV rates, such as African or Caribbean countries. STIS DON’T DISCRIMINATE “We want women to know that they can catch an STI at any age, so even if you’re not worried about getting pregnant anymore, you still need to use a condom,” says Dr Elizabeth Farrell, gynaecologist with Jean Hailes for Women’s Health. Professor Fairley adds that people with STIs don’t always have symptoms. “So thinking you can meet someone and work out what they’ve got is wrong. The only way to be sure is to use condoms with all new partners,” he says. TALKING CONDOMS Experts agree that condoms are the most eff ective protection against STIs and say it’s important to discuss using them. “Women may feel they’re going to be judged,” says Dr Bateson. “But they should remember they have life experience and they have talked to many people about many things during their lifetime. Use those communication skills to talk to your partner about using protection and about being tested for STIs.” Dr Bateson recommends practising the conversation in front of the mirror. She says it’s okay to admit to feeling nervous about starting a sexual relationship after some time. She recommends mentioning to your new partner that friends have suggested it’s a good idea to talk about STIs for both people’s benefi t. “Our message is to be upfront whe