Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are increasing in parts of the UK, especially within England. Of these pathogens, chlamydia has been revealed as the most common STI for men and women in England. This was followed by cases involving the bacterium gonorrhoea.
New research undertaken by the men’s health platform Manual, has compared the number of STIs in England from 2015 onwards. This inquiry has been supported by U.K. government data via both the Office of National Statistics data together with findings collected by the health authority Public Health England.
These data confirm that chlamydia (a disease from the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis) and gonorrhoea (from the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae) were the STIs with the highest number of cases. For example, in 2019, some 101,163 men and 125,574 women had chlamydia. In the same year, 51,312 men and 19,057 women were assessed as carrying from or suffering with gonorrhoea.
This was a pivotal year since 2019 saw a peak in cases. There are doubts, nonetheless, about the reprehensive scope of the data. This is due to the pandemic, where routine testing being deferred in the midst of staffing and supply shortages, cases across all STIs dipped in 2020. There will also have been a reduction in the activities that enable the diseases to spread.
Looking at the data set, clinical sexologist Ness Cooper tells Digital Journal: “This could be due to reduced testing. But some theories also have looked into the lack of privacy may be a factor, as people worried about the stigma around STIs and their family and peers views they may have been locked down with.”
Cooper adds: “Also individuals were seeking less casual interactions and more connected ones with goals of long term commitment. This is likely partly influenced by worries of COVID, where more partners/encounters led to more risk. Holiday and consensual workplace sexual activities were also off the menu.”
The study additionally compared the regions in England with the highest number of cases in 2020. This geographical inquiry reveals that London came out on top with a total of 87, 690 cases. This was followed by the South East with 32, 972 cases and the North West with 29,972.
The North East was the region with the fewest number of cases at 11,251, while the East Midlands had 18,920 cases in 2020. Peering into these demographic and geographic variances provides a way forwards for tackling the STI rates within society.
In terms of other preventative measures, education remains important. Where sex education classes are lacking, these correlate with a rise in STI infection rates (a fact known as early as the 1970s).
