Wednesday 23 November 2022 11:56 PM Chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea soar as Americans ditch condoms: Just 40% of ... trends now

Wednesday 23 November 2022 11:56 PM Chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea soar as Americans ditch condoms: Just 40% of ... trends now
Wednesday 23 November 2022 11:56 PM Chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea soar as Americans ditch condoms: Just 40% of ... trends now

Wednesday 23 November 2022 11:56 PM Chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea soar as Americans ditch condoms: Just 40% of ... trends now

Americans are ditching condoms, even as STI rates rocket.

Chlamydia cases have more than doubled in the last 20 years, according to data from the Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC).

The pandemic is thought to have fueled the rise even further, due to an underreporting of infections.

Covid may have led to increased transmission, the CDC said, as reduced access to healthcare during lockdowns meant people were infected for longer and had more opportunities to past their STI on. 

Last year, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis cases rose to 2.5 million. In 2017, the three STDs made up 2.3 million cases.

At the same time, less than half of men are using condoms, compared to between 75 and 55 per cent since 2011. 

And an increasing number are relying on women using contraception, an Office of population affairs annual family planning report said. 

Men who have sex with men are at a greater risk of contracting infections than heterosexuals as they are more likely to have multiple recent partners, and STIs spread easily in small groups of people.

Experts say it is down to a wider availability of drugs to prevent HIV and pregnancy.

David Harvey, executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors, told the Washington Post: 'Historically, young people when they’ve used condoms have largely been scared into using them by the threat of HIV or an unintended pregnancy. They have more options now to prevent those things.'

There are also now treatments which allow HIV-positive people to live long and fulfilled lives, while the morning after pill has become easier to get for women.

Some are worried that this may change after the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, and sales skyrocketed shortly after the announcement.

Gonorrhea has been on the up since 2012, with rates in men per 100,000 in men rising considerably higher than in women

Gonorrhea has been on the up since 2012, with rates in men per 100,000 in men rising considerably higher than in women

Syphilis has seen a sharp increase in rate per 100,000 since 2012, with higher prevalence in men again. In the past twenty years, cases have increased more than 27-fold

Syphilis has seen a sharp increase in rate per 100,000 since 2012, with higher prevalence in men again. In the past twenty years, cases have increased more than 27-fold

Chlamydia has had a more steady increase since 2012. But since 2001, cases have more than doubled

Chlamydia has had a more steady increase since 2012. But since 2001, cases have more than doubled

The above graph shows the percentage of high school students who used a condom during the last time they had sexual intercourse. Usage has decreased since 2003 — the 2019 rate is now below the rate in 1997, an annual CDC survey found

The above graph shows the percentage of high school students who used a condom during the last time they had sexual intercourse. Usage has decreased since 2003 —

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