Diagnoses of sexually transmitted diseases jumped nearly 24% among seniors ages 65 and older during the pandemic, new data provided first to Axios by FAIR Health shows.
Why it matters: The data points to the need for conversations about the risks of STDs — which can mimic other age-related conditions — with older patients.
What they found: Sexually transmitted disease diagnoses overall rose roughly 5% among commercially insured patients from 2020 to 2023, according to an analysis of FAIR Health’s repository of 47 billion commercial health care claim records.
Patients aged 65 and older saw the largest increase (24%) in STD diagnoses during that period, per the claims, which include people covered by Medicare Advantage plans.
The next largest increase (about 16%) occurred among patients aged 55 to 64.
The findings are consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data that has indicated a rise in STDs among adults 55 and older between 2012 and 2022.