STI Rates Decline Thanks To the Queer Community, Study Finds

STI Rates Decline Thanks To the Queer Community, Study Finds

With all the continued bad news, we are trying to bring the most positive headlines your way and today, we have a good one! The CDC has reported that, overall, STIs in the nation are down by 2% last year and it is pretty much due to the queer community. You're welcome, nation! Of course, with all our hooking up, it's probably our duty.

The bad news? There were still 2.46 million new STI cases. The good news? There was a big decrease in both gonorrhea and syphilis. Even though our community is only about 2% of adults in the US, we have typically contributed to about half of STI cases. In the gay and bisexual male community, gonorrhea dropped by 13%.

 

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According to experts, the increased use of DoxyPEP has helped curb the increased rates of STIs. Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that DoxyPEP is a pill that can be taken up to 72 hours after a sexual encounter that fights the chance of contracting a bacterial STI. DoxyPEP can be taken in tandem with PrEP which still must be taken to prevent HIV/AIDs contraction. DoxyPEP really got a push in 2022 from San Francisco's Health Department and spread to other major cities. The CDC jumped on board and released official guidelines for use this past summer.

We still have a long way to go in terms of Doxy use. The official journal of the American Sexually Transmitted Diseases Association​ conducted a study with a group of men who had sex via apps like Grindr. Only half of the men reported they knew what Doxy was and its use to prevent an STI. But 95% of them said they would be open to using it.

 

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So spread the word. When you are hooking up ask your partner if they currently have an STI, if they are using measures like PrEP and DoxyPEP and, if not, maybe choose someone else and tell them once they are taking care of their health, then they can get the D. This is the first time in over two decades that rates have decreased. Let's keep the momentum going. There still seems to be a lack of education where Doxy is concerned and, depending on how the new administration treats LGBTQ health, we may be on our own to education our community.

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