A new study shows that young, gay and bisexual black men are most significantly affected by a rise in sexually transmitted diseases, the New York Times reports.
A rising concern is the prevalence of syphilis. Rates of the diseases ordinarily fell by 1.6 percent in 2010 for most all demographics and populations – however, for young black men, the increase of the disease multiplied by nearly 134 percent since 2006 as data released by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows.
In St. Louis, the rise of gonorrhea and Chlamydia have been largely attributed to young African-Americans between the ages of 15 and 26. Chlamydia has been a rising concern for all populations as it has risen to over 1.3 million cases in the United States since 2010.
HIV infections have also experienced an unusual rise for bisexuals and black men. St. Louis Health Director Pam Walker attributes the spike in disease to online dating sites and hookup phone apps.
“You don’t have to spend a week in a bar to find somebody you’re comfortable with,” she said, “People are doing it online and they’re doing it faster.”
Nearly half of all sexually transmitted diseases are spread among young groups, the CDC reports. Ethnic groups are more affected by STDs partially due in part to lack of access to proper health case.
The treatment of sexually transmitted diseases costs the United States nearly $17 billion dollars annually.
