Latest data reveals disturbing statistics when it comes to sexually transmitted disease or sexually transmitted infection diagnoses among young people in England.
Just like in the United States, the numbers show an increase in a number of cases among young people.
1 Person Diagnosed With STI Every 4 Minutes
In its latest statistics report, Public Health England revealed that one young person in England is diagnosed with an STI every four minutes, with 144,000 diagnoses among people aged between 15 and 24 in 2017 alone.
All in all, there were 420,000 STI diagnoses in England in 2017, with people in the 15 to 24 age bracket, accounting for 63 percent of chlamydia diagnoses, and 37 percent of the gonorrhea diagnoses. Chlamydia accounted for nearly half of all the STI diagnoses in the same year.
Apart from the staggering statistics regarding STI diagnoses among young people, the data also revealed how the STI cases in England remains to be high and even saw an increase in certain cases. For instance, there was a 22 percent increase in gonorrhea cases from 2016 to 2017.
A similar report was also released by the CDC just last August, noting a sharp increase in STI cases in the United States, with a 67 percent increase in gonorrhea cases and a 76 percent increase in syphillis diagnoses from 2016 to 2017. What is even more worrying is that some of these STIs are actually symptomless, while others are becoming harder to treat as a result of antibiotic resistance.
‘Protect Against STIs’ Campaign
To combat the increasing number of STI cases, PHE’s 'Protect Against STIs' campaign highlights the potentially life-changing consequences of having sex without using condoms. For instance, if left untreated, STIs can lead to serious health issues such as pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, or even swollen or painful testicles. It can also cause higher risks for stillbirth and miscarriages among pregnant women.
To get the young population's attention on the matter, TV personality Sam Thompson is also in two films. In the first film, he speaks to the youth about how much they know about sexual health, while in the second one, he speaks to the youths in Warwick about their own sexual health experiences, as well as their attitudes about using condoms.
“There’s really no excuse for people not to use condoms and we should all feel empowered to use them and to see condoms as a normal part of a healthy sex life,” said Thompson.
“STIs present a real threat to young people, and without using condoms, young people are putting themselves and their partners at risk of getting an STI,” adds Dr. Hamish Mohammed, consultant STI scientist at PHE.
