Sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise in older adults. Here’s why

(NewsNation) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has seen an increase in sexually transmitted diseases among adults 55 years old and older. Some health experts say nursing homes and lack of information may be contributing to the rise.

New CDC data reveals there has been a drastic increase in syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia cases over the past decade. Syphilis cases have increased sevenfold, gonorrhea cases nearly fivefold and chlamydia cases have more than tripled, according to a report by NBC News.

Justyna Kowalska, a professor of medicine at the Medical University of Warsaw, told NBC News that sex is not discussed among older groups.

“We talk about smoking, we talk about diet, exercise, so many things, and not about sex at all,” Kowalska said.

Research by Matthew Lee Smith, an associate professor at the Texas A&M School of Public Health, supported the claim that older adults may not have received the same type of sex education as teens do today, the report said.

Plus, a survey published in the National Library of Medicine suggested nursing homes also create additional opportunities for sexual partners.