From 2019 to 2023, METRO was a delivery partner of the SHIFT sexual health research programme for over 45s, with partners in the UK, Belgium, and The Netherlands, funded by the European Regional Development Fund. Find out more.
The ground-breaking international research into the sexual health of over 45s is published this week and local charity METRO Charity is calling it "a mandate for change for professionals and patients."
The over-45s face unique challenges around their sexual health, but are rarely considered in policy decisions that affect them. The SHIFT project (Sexual Health In the over ForTy-fives) has published its final report of a four-year project, setting out how sexual health services and public health information for older people could be reformed.
Looking at health inequalities faced by this age group, which include limited sexual health education, entering new relationships after a period of monogamy, dealing with the menopause, impotency as a result of aging, and healthcare providers lacking knowledge and tools for sexual health in patients aged over 45, the research identified four pillars to improve and transform sexual health outcomes for the over-45s:
- Knowledge
- Awareness
- Access
- Stigma.
The project then used these pillars to support an open access training programme; a website; and outreach work with diverse populations in the age group.
The SHIFT project has developed resources for the general public and training resources for professionals which are available on their website, including access to free training for those working with over 45s. The website also includes six short narrative films which dramatise some of the research participants’ experiences such as ageism, the menopause in the workplace, HIV stigma and intimacy, loss of sexual confidence, relationship breakdown, and poor knowledge about STIs.