
STDs Are On the Move & Spreading Faster Than Ever
Across the globe, STD rates are rising at an alarming rate. More than 1 million sexually transmitted diseases are acquired every day, worldwide. More than 500 million people are estimated to have a genital infection with herpes simplex 1, and more than 290 million women have human papilloma virus (HPV infection 1). Chlamydia, drug-resistant gonorrhea and syphilis are on the rise in the United States and other nations, creating an epidemic that has health officials extremely concerned. The amount of people with HIV has increased, although some attribute the higher numbers to the fact that fewer people are dying from it. Among developed nations, the United States has the highest STD rate. One of the reasons why STDs are exploding in America is a rise in condomless sex among men who have sex with men. Some attribute this risky behavior to:- Success in treating HIV and PrEP (pills that can prevent HIV)
- Dating apps like Tinder and Grindr that make sex more available and anonymous
- The Great Recession, which resulted in cuts to public health funding.
- Available resources
- A commitment to health and sexual education
- And an effort to de-stigmatize STDs
