Enhancing literacy among the elderly on sexually transmitted infections: an educational intervention

Abstract Issue Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) pose significant public health concerns across different settings and countries, especially in elderly populations, in which recent increases have been noted. This project aimed to target STIs literacy among the elderly, addressing a crucial gap in public health education. Description of the problem This project focused on improving STIs literacy among elderly residents in a municipality in Northern Portugal. Using innovative methods such as tailored materials and interactive sessions, the intervention aimed to evaluate their effectiveness through pre-, post-, and one-month follow-up STD-KQ questionnaire assessments (composite score of total correct calculated as average, ranged from 0 to 27). Statistical analysis used SPSS IBM for Mac OS® v29. Descriptive statistics: mean ± standard deviation for continuous, proportions (%) for categorical variables. Analysis included only individuals with complete data. ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc tested intervention impact on STD-KQ scores. Results Fifty-one individuals participated in this study, with an average age of 70,89 ± 5,10 years old, and 64,7% female. The average STD-KQ score increased by 151.54% immediately after, 11.39 ± 5.66 (p < 0,01), and by 122.54% after one month, 10.08 ± 5.35 (p < 0,01), compared to pre-intervention, 4.53 ± 3.96 (p < 0.01). The score at one month follow-up remained similar to post-intervention (p = 0.39), presenting a significant improvement in STIs knowledge. Lessons This pioneering project, to the best of our knowledge the first of its kind, demonstrates the effectiveness of tailored educational interventions in improving STIs literacy among the elderly, with sustained effects after one month. This innovative approach can be adapted and scaled up for broader use in different settings and countries. Key messages • Tailored educational interventions can be a powerful public health strategy to effectively enhance long-term STI literacy among elderly populations. • Assessing knowledge about STIs can be a crucial initial step for physicians to provide or refer for comprehensive education on safe sexual practices in this age group.