title: Sexually active older Australian's knowledge of sexually transmitted infections and safer sexual practices.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are rising among older Australians. We conducted a large survey of older people's knowledge of STIs and safer sexual practices.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 2,137 Australians aged 60 years and older completed the survey, which included 15 questions assessing knowledge of STIs and safer sexual practices. We examined both levels of knowledge and factors associated with an overall knowledge score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 1,652 respondents reported having sex in the past five years and answered all knowledge questions. This group had good general knowledge but poorer knowledge in areas such as the protection offered by condoms and potential transmission modes for specific STIs. Women had better knowledge than men. Men in their 60s, men with higher education levels, and men who thought they were at risk of STIs reported better knowledge than other men. Knowledge was also better among men and women who had been tested for STIs or reported 'other' sources of knowledge on STIs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many older Australians lack knowledge of STIs and safer sexual practices. Implications for public health: To reverse current trends toward increasing STI diagnoses in this population, policies and education campaigns aimed at improving knowledge levels may need to be considered.
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Victoria.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lyons
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Victoria.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Heywood
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Victoria.
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fileborn
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Victoria.|School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, New South Wales.|School of Justice, Faculty of Law, Queensland University of Technology.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Minichiello
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Victoria.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Victoria.
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sharron
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hinchliff
authors.affiliation: National Ageing Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Victoria.|Swinburne Institute of Social Research, Swinburne University of Technology, Victoria.
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Malta
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Victoria.
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Crameri
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012309:Risk-Taking; D021841:Safe Sex; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
keywords: ageing; aging; safer sex; sexual health; sexually transmitted diseases; sexually transmitted infections