An ever increasing number of syphilis cases in the state of Rhode Island has created a national conversation. On May 25, the State Department of health issued a press release alerting citizens to the epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
The data from Rhode Island shows that from 2012 to 2014, the number of cases of infectious syphilis soared by 79 percent, while the number of gonorrhea cases increased by 30 percent. Most depressing was the number of newly identified HIV cases, showing an increase of nearly 33 percent.
The health department also reported that the number of cases of HIV/AIDS and infectious syphilis continued to increase among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men at a faster rate than in other populations. Added to this statistic is the data showing the infection rates of all STDs continued to have a greater impact on the African-American, Hispanic, and young adult populations.
Worldwide rise in syphilis cases is depressing
Rhode Island is not alone in claiming these startling statistics. The rising numbers of STDs are following a national trend but includes Canada and other countries, as well. In 2014, the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), reported that a study showed 11 million new cases of syphilis are being reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) every year, with 90 percent of those cases occurring in urban areas in developed countries and in low-income countries.
The number of cases in the Men having sex with Men (MSM) population is increasing dramatically, with the young adult population, ages 15 to 25, at the highest risk. The increase in the number of syphilis cases is mainly due to the growing rate of anonymous sex, sex with multiple partners, sex under the influence of several drugs and increasing numbers of unprotected sex both anal and oral.
Social media sites may be behind the sudden uptick in STDs
While the number of cases of STDs being diagnosed is the result of better testing methods being used by the medical community, they are also attributed to high-risk behaviors, leading researchers to look at a number of social media apps.
Thanks to a number of mobile apps like Tinder, Hinge, Grindr, Snapchat, and OK Cupid, dating has become easier than ever before. And because of the ease in seeking out a partner for a romantic interlude, promiscuity is becoming the norm for many young adults, including teenagers.
People should be aware that this is not the first time social media apps have been blamed for an increase in STDs. In 2013, researchers at New York University wrote a paper about Craigslist, entitled, “Internet’s Dirty Secret: Assessing the Impact of Online Intermediaries on HIV Transmission”
In 2012, a syphilis outbreak in New Zealand was linked to a social media app called Grindr. Grindr, primarily used by gay men, and similar apps are being blamed for increases in gonorrhea and syphilis in the United Kingdom. “Thanks to Grindr or Tinder, you can acquire chlamydia in five minutes,” Peter Greenhouse, of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, told the Daily Mail in January, according to the International Business Times.
It is difficult to believe in this age of information that people are not aware of the Health dangers that accompany promiscuity and unprotected sex. “These new statistics underscore the importance of encouraging young people to begin talking to a doctor, nurse, or health educator about sexual health before becoming sexually active and especially after becoming sexually active,” Rosemary Reilly-Chamma of the Rhode Island Department of Education says in the press release.
Just as the world was in denial about the AIDS epidemic in the early 1980s, the world is also seemingly in denial about the present syphilis epidemic today. Reilly-Chamma says, “It’s never too early to learn about making HIV and STD testing part of routine healthcare. Doctors and nurses are trained to discuss sensitive topics like sex, and conversations with them are confidential. Health educators at schools or community health centers are great resources too.”
